After he graduates from high school, Damon Harris has decided to pursue something that he’s passionate about — film directing.
“I had an interest in engineering when I started out because math has always been my strongest subject and I like problem solving, and engineering is the most practical use of problem solving,” said Harris, 17. “But since elementary school, I have always had an interest in film and storytelling. I like engineering, but film is where my passion lies.”
Harris credits his school community, Akron’s National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) High School, with encouraging him to follow his dream.
“We are more than a school,” said Harris, who plans to study film directing at Cleveland State University. “We are a family that supports each other and wants to see each member succeed.”
On Wednesday, Harris will be among 80 students who will leave a legacy as the first graduating class of the STEM high school. The pioneers started out together four years ago in the former Central Hower High School building with the challenge of starting something new.
Learning frontier
The class, which started with 96 members, was charged with setting the tone for a high school focused on preparing students for entry into STEM-related career fields. They were challenged to work in the field with industry partners to gain real-world experiences, while completing college credits at the University of Akron.
“We really didn’t know what to expect, but we knew we were paving the way for the classes that were coming behind us. We wanted to set high standards, but we hope the classes coming after us, set even higher standards — that would be success for us,” said Nyna Sayarath, who plans to study engineering at Ohio State University. Sayarath, 18, serves as the Class of 2016 CEO.
Sayarath’s title, the equivalent of class president, is an example of the language the students adopted at the STEM school. The principal is the instructional leader. Teachers are coaches, and students are learners.
The majority of the class came to the high school as ninth-graders from the STEM middle school, where they were also the first eighth-grade graduating class. Additional students, including Harris, were admitted through an application process.
Alexander Erisey, 18, made a conscious decision to go to the STEM high school as a way to continue what he started at the STEM middle school. He said the idea of being part of something unique and fresh was also attractive.
“We drew kids from all over the district, so we have a really diverse class. We come from all walks of life,” said Erisey, who plans to attend Miami University of Ohio to study business and economics. “Because our class is so small and because we work so closely together, we really get to know each other. That has really opened my eyes and helped me understand how important it is to value different perspectives.”
Broader education
In addition to preparing students for careers in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math, other objectives of the school include inspiring creativity, fostering inventive and critical thinking, cultivating leadership and problem solving skills, and promoting wellness and citizenship.
“One of the biggest things we do here is focus on collaboration. I was always a shy person who liked to work by myself, but in this environment, you work in a group. We’re like a big family, working to succeed together,” said Myia Culbreath, a Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient who plans to study neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University. “As a class, we were under a lot of pressure to be successful because everybody was watching us to see if this school was really worth the investment. We worked hard and I believe we’re leaving a strong foundation for others to build on.”
The STEM school’s instructional approach is grounded in problem solving, with a goal of helping students understand the day-to-day relevance of science and math and apply their knowledge creatively to complete varied projects.
Some of the real-world problems that learners in the Class of 2016 tackled included ending teen smoking and addiction; linking turf to cancer; teen mentoring; serving the community with 23 acts of kindness; building a safe digital DNA; building a concussion app; using social media to empower young ladies to be strong, confident and courageous; and eliminating micro-aggression in social media.
Work experience
Learners also completed internships at various businesses, including Goodyear, the University of Akron, the YMCA, Global Ties Akron, Glam Natural Cosmetics, Epiphany Management and 91.3 The Summit.
Ninety percent of students in the school’s first graduation class applied for college and 82 percent were accepted — 77 percent into the first college of their choice. Sixty two percent have plans to pursue STEM-related careers or continue in STEM education as teachers.
“They set the bar high for the classes coming behind them. As the first class they have been asked to test out everything and to find ways to figure it out,” said Larry W. Johnson Jr., instructional leader. “This group has been influential and transformational. They are incredibly high-achieving. They are goal-oriented. They are creative. They have a passion for thinking outside of the box. They never gave up. They persevered and learned from every experience, good or bad. They are living proof that grit can be taught, and that embracing a growth mindset makes learning so much more authentic and relevant to the learner.”
For more information about the STEM high school, go to http://www.nihfstem.org.
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. She can be followed at www.twitter.com/ColetteMJenkins.