Program Highlights

College visits are unique opportunities for STEM Associates. Each trip provides great opportunities for expanding knowledge and allow the STEM Associate to gain much more than would be possible inside the classroom setting. On a college visit, the STEM associates get to experience a college dining hall, go on a personalized tour of the campus, and participate in an exclusive information and question and answer session with the college/university's admissions staff.

The STEM Institute offers a unique “FLEX Day.” Flex Day is one day of flexible time every week where STEM Associates self-schedule and the time is used for Year Long Projects, Science/Engineering fair, capstone projects, internships, extra help, intervention, support, enrichment, or extension.

Year Long Projects (YLPs), Science/Engineering fair, STEM internships and capstone projects are aimed at promoting personal construction of new ideas, directing the STEM associate to appropriate resources to help them clarify the problem, investigate, or plan research, and giving advice and assistance when needed. Over the course of four years, STEM associates will engage in extensive STEM project/problem-based learning across the curriculum as a vital part of the program to enhance communication skills, interrelated learning, and access to and stimulation of STEM enrichment activities.

STEM Bus

The mission of the STEM Extension Project is to provide STEM based activities and curriculum for students in Newton County Schools via the STEM bus to create a mobile career lab, which focuses on the STEM based jobs available in Newton County.

Clear Minds

Clear Minds is a group created by STEM associates to educate high schoolers about mental health. Each meeting consists of a lesson about a certain mental health related thing (different mental disorders or phenomena). The topics are usually student generated so the meetings are authentic and meaningful to the attendees! After the lesson we open the floor up for conversation and question, then an activity!

Clear Minds aims to normalize the fact that it is perfectly okay to be experiencing deep and confusing feelings. We are here to let you know you are not alone. These meetings are serious, but also eye-opening and worthwhile.

To provide an opportunity for STEM associates to consult, advise, and discuss the various aspects of the STEM Institute which can be used to shape and influence the direction of the program. Elected STEM Associates from 10th, 11th, and 12th grade serve on the council.