Why is STEM education important?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in science and engineering occupations will grow 70% faster than the overall growth for all occupations.
Source: Tapping America's Potential: Progress Report 2008

Our STEM pathway offers an intermediate and advanced engineering plan of study, Project Lead the Way, which is a hands-on challenging curriculum that provides students contextual learning experiences using math, science and technology in meaningful ways to solve real-world problems.  Various career-based experiences and opportunities are provided to reinforce the connection between school and work.  Students also have the opportunity to choose specializations such as Aerospace.

Participating Elementary Schools: Fletcher Intermediate Science & Technology School
Participating Middle Schools: Aurora Hills, Columbia, and Mrachek
Participating High Schools: Gateway, Rangeview, Vista PEAK Preparatory, Pickens Technical College

• Read the APS STEM blog.

STEM News

Lt. Governor Joe Garcia talks about APS Academic & Career Pathways

More than 200 people recently attended the Aurora Public Schools Pathways to Results Celebration that highlighted how APS Academic and Career Pathways are impacting student learning. 

Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia joined APS Superintendent John L. Barry, APS Board of Education members and community partners at this special event to see the results of the community’s contributions to APS student learning.

"APS is one of the leading districts in the state of Colorado demonstrating what's possible with P-20 education and academic and career pathways."
- Colorado Lt. Governor Joe Garcia 

Students presented hands-on and visual demonstrations from all four pathways.  

Health Sciences students worked in a simulated hospital room and developed anatomy sculptures in clay. Business students showcased their work on the stock market, Microsoft certifications and business blogging. Arts and Communication students showcased the teaching of primary reading skills and highlighted their partnership with the Denver Art Museum. Students in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) programmed maze-running robots, tested a 21^st century classroom and developed complex 3-D animations.

>>>Read more.

ISIS Program from NASA

APS STEM Students Featured at CCA STEM Fair. Read Sentinel article.

Pilot Jamail Larkins Presents to APS Students Promoting STEM Careers

APS Students Participate in Aviation Ground School

United Launch Alliance (ULA) recently provided a tremendous "kick-start" for hundreds of public school students in Aurora and Falcon, Colorado, by donating $25,000 to the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado.  The grant will support the Center's delivery of Earth-science and space-focused distance-learning programs to schools serving an ethnically diverse population, including military families living near Buckley, Schriever and Peterson Air Force bases.
"It's extremely gratifying to have a top-tier company like United Launch Alliance step up and take such an active, positive role in building the next-generation aerospace and defense workforce," said Tracey Tomme, President/CEO of the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado.  "We're absolutely thrilled to have ULA as our partner!"

The ULA donation will provide about 12 Operation Montserrat missions for 7th-grade students at Falcon's Skyview Middle School.  Students emulating Earth Systems Science experts will use computers, satellite images and the
Internet to predict the impacts of a fictional hurricane and volcanic-rock movements on Montserrat's inhabitants and environment.

Similarly, the ULA grant will fund 30 Moon, Mars and Beyond missions for Aurora 4th-grade students throughout the school year.  Via Internet links, each distance-learning mission will give 25-30 students the vicarious experience of working together as a Mars-based team to rescue missing astronauts, who are exploring the outer fringes of our solar system.

"Because [students] are able to apply what they learn in a "real-life" situation, they are able to retain the knowledge," explained Lori Martin, a Fourth Grade teacher at Aurora's Fletcher Intermediate School of Science and
Technology.  "During the mission, every student is focused on the job and working with the entire team."

These well-structured "e-Missions" are proven vehicles for motivating students by demonstrating-through hands-on experiences-the power of math and science to save lives.  Such opportunities to apply critical-thinking skills
to realistic, time-sensitive problems often trigger a student's decision to pursue a career in science and technology.

"United Launch Alliance is committed to a robust corporate citizenship program that targets the need to excite our next generation of engineers and rocket scientists," said Michael C. Gass, ULA President and Chief Executive Officer.  "We have a national crisis in not inspiring enough of our young people to pursue careers in science and technology.  Together with the Challenger Learning Center, ULA is working to address this challenge by supporting STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] programs and mobilizing our workforce to help make a difference in our community."

United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, provides Atlas and Delta launch vehicles in support of U.S. space programs.