Overview

The concept for the Robertsdale High School STEM Academy began during the 2019-20 school year.  Principal Joe Sharp and Assistant Principal Mitch Pinkston looked to model successful STEM programs that they had developed in Georgia.  A team of teachers, administrators, and counselors was created to begin the process of starting the RHS STEM Academy.  For a year, the team planned all aspects of the STEM Academy, including a mission, courses, projects, field trips, cross-curricular learning opportunities, and the application process.  

In the spring of 2020, the first cohort in the Robertsdale High School STEM Academy was selected.  The group of 20 students began at RHS in the fall of 2020.  In the spring of 2021, 24 students were selected through an application process to begin the second STEM cohort at RHS.  Students in the RHS STEM Academy are experiencing great success.  The STEM Leadership Team meets continuously with all stakeholders, including students, parents, community members, teachers, counselors, and administrators.  A STEM Student Committee and a STEM Parent Committee have been formed to receive feedback to guide continuous improvement.  

Through the STEM Academy, students are exposed to engaging, interdisciplinary learning.  Cross-curricular projects are the norm, and students have competed in local, state, and national competitions.  Students have the opportunity to Skype with scientists and experts in STEM fields.  Students have taken field trips centered around aviation, zoology, robotics, and engineering.  Collaboration is a central theme in the STEM Academy, and students have developed great working relationships with their peers.  Data shows that students in the STEM Academy have been progressing academically at a rapid rate.  We are very proud of the STEM program that we have built at Robertsdale High School!