Program Features

LCMS West has begun its third year of its STEM Program. This program spans the entire 3 years students attend LCMS West. It is geared towards preparing them for more rigorous curriculum, as well as advanced math classes and a high school physical science class in 8th grade. This program requires students to handle an accelerated math curriculum and an in-depth science program, while maintaining above average grades in both math and science classes. Students are a part of unique connections instruction focusing on the applications of agriculture and technology to science, technology, engineering, and math. Students also participate in LCMS West’s WIN (What I Need) program where they participate in both regional and national STEM-based competitions involving the creation and design of their own experiments to solve community problems. These classes and their full participation in them are mandatory components of the program. Students in this group also work in a variety of higher- level, project-based learning experiences where they are expected to research, develop and test their own solutions, collect data, and present their findings to both teachers and panels of community experts in their regular math and science classes. Ideal candidates are able and interested in working with others and completing hands-on and challenging projects with a passion for pushing themselves to find new ways of solving problems. Students are expected to be able to complete material on time and spend the time needed both at home and at school to prepare themselves for the rigor of these classes. Students who participate in this program should have a strong interest in math, science, and advanced topics with a desire to take advanced math and science classes upon entering high school and into college.