ST1.11

Students are supported in their STEM learning through adult-world connections and extended day opportunities.

Self-Assessment: 3.5

Our students have the opportunity to engage in STEM learning through various programs. Our students participate in fly-in programs, summer programs, college tours, and extended-day opportunities such as our Noche de Ciencias event. Fly-in programs are great opportunities for our students to visit prospective colleges and universities. These programs are funded by the inviting school and students get the opportunity to stay in college dorms, interact with professors and current college students as well as gain exposure to the college’s programs and facilities. Our students have attended fly-in programs in universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, and Williams College.

Fly-in programs are accessible to high achieving students for whom the university is interested in attending their school. In addition, Mater hosts two college tours: the Florida College Tour and the Boston Tour. Because most of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch and are First-Generation college students, not many of their families can afford to take the students on college visits. We provide the opportunity for our students to visit schools such as Florida International University (FIU), University of Central Florida (UCF), University of South Florida (USF), University of Florida (UF) and Florida State University (FSU) as well as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brandeis University, Boston College, and Boston University. During these tours, our students connect with our alumni and currents students in their prospective majors as well as explore the facilities the college has to offer.

Our students have attended prestigious STEM summer programs. The most notable being with Summer Project CS Girls, the University of Miami, High School Careers in Medicine Workshop, the University of Miami, Transportation Engineering Summer Enrichment Program, MITES, Computer Summer Institute (CSI Google), and Girls Who Code. These summer programs expose our students to the STEM world and prepare them for what to expect when they enter college and the workforce. Our students take college STEM classes and receive grades for them as well as design products and make formal presentations to be showcased to their peers and instructors. For our younger lions, Mater Academy has been growing its summer STEM Camp offerings to include Maker Camps, Robotic Camps, Digital Design Camps, and many more opportunities.

In addition, our students are introduced to STEM leaders and professionals in the field through guest speakers, career day events, and interactions with professionals after school through student organizations. Our STEM clubs such as Odyssey of the Mind, eSports, Mu Alpha Theta, Robotics, SECME, MATHCOUNTS, and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) participate in district, state, and national competitions for STEM events. FBLA competes in a variety of topics which incorporate STEM aspects and tools in order to be successful. Competitions in which STEM is heavily influential include 3D Animation, Publication Design, Digital Video, Business Plan, Business Financial Plan, and E-Business. All of the student competitors who participated in the aforementioned events have won at the district and state level, qualifying for Nationals and even placing Top 10 at the National Leadership Conference. Our SECME students participate in competitive events such as Robotic Hand, Bottle Rockets, and Mouse Trap Cars as well as submitting research papers and Science Fair poster board presentations.