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STEAM CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

(Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education explaining that STEM education is important in preparing students for the ever-changing, complex, technological world. This is because STEM education assists in giving students skills in problem solving, critical and creative thinking, and decision making. These skills are importat for not just 21st century careers, but also for our future leaders and neighbors because the skills assist in preparing students to think more deeply and to understand complex issues.

STEAM adds Art into the mix. Adding Art helps students to apply creative thinking, imagination, creativity, problem solving, communication, and collaboration into STEM projects.

Massachusetts and the nation has experienced a shortfall of workers properly equipped with the STEM education and skills necessary for success in an innovation economy. Over the past 20 years, the number of students graduating from STEM majors at U.S. colleges and universities has remained unchanged. During this same period, demand for STEM workers has grown at more than four times the rate of the overall U.S. workforce.

K-12 school systems have begun to address how to better prepare, engage, and excite a significantly higher number of students to pursue a STEM curriculum, thus priming the front end of the higher education/workforce pipeline. The STEM Certificate Program is a strategy to increase the awareness, interest, and motivation of students for STEM related careers.

The WHS STEM Certificate Program is a way to indicate on a student's transcript that their high-school career has had a significant focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Students are responsible for obtaining the necessary approvals and maintaining their portfolio throughout their high school career. Students who complete all requirements may submit their portfolio for review.

All portfolios must be submitted for review by October 1 or April 1 of the school year.

Winchester High School has earned the College Board AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles. Schools honored with the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award have expanded girls’ access in AP Computer Science courses.


Out of the 20,000 institutions that offer AP courses, 1,119 achieved either 50% or higher female representation in one of the two AP computer science courses or a percentage of the female computer science examinees meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population during the 2019-2020 school year. That’s nearly 37% more than the 818 schools recognized last year. In 2020, WHS was one of 831 recognized in the category of AP Computer Science Principles.