Full STEAM ahead at Yuma High campus

The Early College STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics) Academy recently begun on Yuma High School's campus is off to a successful start despite initial grant funds being already spent, said school officials.

Yuma Union High School District Superintendent Toni Badone explained that Arizona Western College was a recipient of an Engineering Pathways at Rural Community Colleges grant and designated the funds to be seed money for the STEAM program at Yuma High.

Per terms of the grant, the district was required to spend the funds that totaled about $500,000 by Sept. 30.

The grant was awarded by the Science Foundation of Arizona. The money came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Governor's Office of Economic Recovery.

The funds provided dollars for instructor professional development as well as the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment that included software and printers to produce 3-D engineering drawings and data collection tools for hands-on experience in the classroom.

They also helped the district retrofit research classrooms and remodel the certain rooms to make them more collegiate looking with tables and chairs instead of desks. One room is even equipped to offer Interactive Television Network classes so if there is a class offered at AWC, it can be offered concurrently at Yuma High via video.

“It was really quite amazing to get that injection of funds to get it off the ground,” Badone said. “We're really grateful to AWC for inviting us to be a part of this project.”

The program's greatest needs include finding additional certificated instructors for the college-level courses and money for student scholarships to take the dual-credit classes.

She noted that the STEAM Advisory Board is developing a business plan to seek out more investors. Organizations like APS have already donated funds for student scholarships and more equipment.

Through the partnership among YUHSD, AWC, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University and the support of the local community, the goal of the initiative is to provide local students with an education that will prepare them to fill longtime vacant STEAM-based jobs in the Yuma area, said Badone.

With over 200 ninth- through 12th-graders currently in the academy, students have the opportunity to earn college credit while learning more about various STEAM professions. They are also able to gain pertinent academic and career skills while still at the high school level.

Badone said students in the program may be initially placed in precollege-level Cambridge classes depending on their placement on the AWC entrance exam. Those who qualify to take dual-credit classes are taking blended learning classes offered online and through AWC's campus, and some are also taking UA Engineering 102 classes or Advanced Placement science or math classes.

“It's a program that's interlaced with a lot of other things we have going on, but it is unique and we expect to not only sustain it, but to grow it into other areas besides engineering, particularly agriculture and some of the areas that are needed here in Yuma.”

Marv Lamer, associate superintendent of the Highly Effective Schools Division at the Arizona Department of Education, visited Yuma High's campus Friday. He said that the great thing he noticed about the STEAM academy classes is that all the courses are interrelated.

He noted because of this program, students will see classes as more relevant because they are framed around subjects of interest to them.

When walking around the campus, he commented that even though it was Friday, he was surprised by the amount of engagement he saw from students in the classrooms.

“The bell rang and students were still engaged. It was a really neat environment.”

Freshman science teacher Marlie Meza noted that student interest has skyrocketed with new equipment like the data collection probes.

“When they see the probes come out, they are instantly engaged in the lab because it's hands-on technology rather than guessing or modeling — they're actually doing it and they're seeing real-time data that they hadn't necessarily seen before.”

Meza said STEAM students are getting the same content in their classes as other students in the district, but the amount of critical thinking and of hands-on application has increased significantly.

Visit yumasteam.org for more information about the program.

Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSSarahWomer or on Twitter at @YSSarahWomer.