Each year, the Ohio STEM Learning Network partners with the Ohio Department of Education to recruit, support, and ultimately evaluate new schools for STEM designation. Receiving designation shows a school has implemented best practices in STEM and STEAM education. In spite of all of the challenges posed by this unprecedented year, three schools worked for and earned STEM/STEAM designation today from the Ohio STEM Committee.
Today’s newly designated STEM schools are:
- Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School
- Marshall STEMM Academy in Toledo
- Community STEAM Academy in Xenia
STEM education encompasses a culture of inquiry, entrepreneurialism, problem solving, problem-based learning, and connections to the real-world. STEAM education expands this idea with a focus on the arts.
This year’s designation process began with a series of pre-application meetings for potential applicants, organized by OSLN and the Ohio Department of Education. Both organizations provided additional coaching and feedback to schools applying for designation. OSLN and the Ohio Department of Education heard from applying schools through a series of online site visits. Finally, each school’s application received a recommendation from the network and was put forward to the Ohio STEM Committee for final review. The committee is a panel of policymakers, agency directors, and business leaders.
Please join us in celebrating these three schools, their teachers, staff and students.