Renton Prep was selected as a national STEM Excellence Awards Finalist in the Middle School Division at the National Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), one of the nation’s largest edtech conferences.
One of nine finalists, Renton Prep was selected by the FETC STEM Advisory Board from among hundreds of applications and was recognized as one of the top 10 STEM programs in the nation.
Applications were evaluated based on the use of interdisciplinary curriculum, collaboration, design, problem solving and the STEM experiences offered by each school.
“With STEM becoming increasingly important in classroom curriculum, we are thrilled to honor and highlight schools with exemplary STEM programs,” FETC Program and Conference Manager Jennifer Womble said in a press release.
STEM is the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics integrated into a cohesive learning paradigm based on real-world applications. Teachers are increasingly instructing this interdisciplinary approach as it relates to students’ future success in college, careers and life. This engagement of the 4Cs (communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity) also provides students with the ability to compete in a new global economy with a workforce population rich in STEM skills and opportunities.
“Renton Prep is a school where students cannot just be a part of STEM, instead the students build curriculum,” said Mark Smith, Chairman of FETC STEM Excellence Awards Committee. “They start from one core idea for a project, such as culture and identity, which stemmed from a field trip to an art museum, branching out from there, connecting it to STEM as well larger topics. Examples include war, identity and gender studies.”
FETC’s 36th annual conference took place Jan. 12-15 in Florida where winners of the STEM Excellence Awards presented their exemplary programs. Each school presented their exemplar program in the STEM Theater at FETC.
“We want to make sure our attendees have the knowledge and skills to implement STEM in their classrooms,” said Womble. “What better way to learn than through experienced STEM educators themselves?”
FETC 2016 also featured dynamic speakers, exhibitors and events designed to provide pre-K – 12 educators and administrators with an unparalleled opportunity to explore different technologies while increasing their familiarity with the latest devices, hardware, software and successful strategies for student technology integration.
To learn more about the FETC 2016 STEM Excellence Awards, please visit http://fetc.org/stem_awards.html.
