It’s lottery time at the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) High School in Akron.
Beginning today, students entering 10th and 11th grades this fall can access an application for the inaugural lottery for students other than incoming freshman to attend the specialty school.
The school, which opened in the fall of 2012, is designed to prepare students for STEM-related careers. It is part of the Akron Public School district and graduated its first class last month.
Myia Culbreath, who was among the STEM High School’s first graduating class, said any student who is focused, driven and hardworking should take advantage of the opportunity.
“This is amazing that the opportunity is available to new students. We always wished their was a chance for more people to be a part of our high school. It’s great that they listened to our suggestion,” said Myia, a Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient who plans to study neuroscience this fall at Carnegie Mellon University. “I would tell anybody who is selected through the lottery process to prepare for a fast-paced environment with a lot of use of technology and to be ready to try your best and do more than what is asked of you.”
The new lottery opportunity is being made available to replenish the student body, which lost 20 incoming sophomores and 15 incoming juniors at the end of last school year.
“Those students went back to their traditional high schools because the STEM high school didn’t fit their learning styles, they wanted to be in school with their friends or they wanted to be part of a larger school,” said Larry W. Johnson Jr., instructional leader (or principal). “Because we live in a funded time, we need to replace the kiddos that we lose.
Ultimately, we get to offer this incredible opportunity to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to become part of this wonderful school community.”
Applications for the lottery can be found at http://bit.ly/260Zl2p through June 30. The lottery is scheduled for July 1. An informational meeting for lottery picks will be July 11 and a bridging program to help students transition is planned before school begins on Aug. 17.
The annual lottery for incoming ninth-graders is in February, with applications available in November and December. For more information, call central registration at 330-761-1661.
Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com. She can be followed at www.twitter.com/ColetteMJenkins.