STEM Education beyond traditional classrooms
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STEM education plays a vital role in equipping students with the necessary skills to thrive in the ever-evolving world, empowering them to think creatively to solve real-world problems, and develop skills that are in demand in the job market. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that employment in STEM occupations has seen a staggering 79 percent growth over the past three decades. Stamford American School recognizes the significance of STEM education and goes beyond traditional approaches to elevate it to the next level, engaging students in STEM both inside and outside the classroom to become true innovators in this dynamic world.
An excellent example of Stamford's commitment to STEM education can be seen through the story of Trevor, a Grade 11 student, ignited passion for engineering through the school's unique STEMinn program which adds a focus on innovation. Trevor put his innovative thinking to test in his Grade 10 Sophomore project by building a balanced drone from scratch. With the guidance of his mentor Mr. Nichols, Secondary STEMinn teacher, Trevor conducted in-depth research to build part of his drone while using his own design thinking skill to engineer the final prototype. Students not only learn skills but clearly demonstrate the ability to apply them to novel situations that mirror a real work context.
Watch his story:
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Student Spotlight: Pioneering STEMinn with a Self-Made Drone
Two outstanding Grade 10 students, Beny and Cedric, also excel in the field of innovation. Inspired by Iron Man, the pair designed a robotic arm controlled by electromyography (EMG) signals that would become a tool for physically challenged individuals to regain some control and independence. Beny explained, "We wanted to offer a unique design that would significantly impact and address a critical societal need." Their remarkable work earned them the championship in the EMG-driven Robotic Arm category at the PolyU Engineering Project Competition last year.
Additionally, they received the prestigious MTR Outstanding Award at the CAFEA Young Talent City Forum for their insightful essay on innovative ideas to improve cognition and mental capacity. Cedric shared the story behind their ideas, “We aim to use an interactive app and games that are designed around improving cognition and mental capacity to prevent and ease the effects of cognitive disabilities and aging.”
The focus on STEM is apparent at Stamford with the curriculum beginning from age 5 and continuing until graduation. Students also participate in two annual school-wide projects, "Mission Inspire" and "Sustainable Stamford", where each grade applies STEMinn knowledge to tackle a relevant real world issue. Some of the projects included the Grade 1 students taking BlueBots on a fun adventure through a story on a map, and young scientists in Grade 2 learning about the states of matter on Scratch Jr. The Grade 9-10 Cornerstones Program connects students weekly with industry professionals at Tramplus and MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node, for exciting projects such as redesigning Hong Kong’s transportation landscape with AI for high school course credit.
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