STEM Extracurricular Programs
Cedar Hill ISD to Debut STEM Extracurricular Programs this month
Posted by Charde Cooks on 9/8/2021
Cedar Hill ISD to Debut STEM Extracurricular Programs this month
(CEDAR HILL, TEXAS) Starting later this month, Cedar Hill Independent School District scholars will have a wide variety of new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) Extracurricular Programs. Each elementary school will have seven programs:
- The Next Level (Technical) – uses engineering, research, strategic planning and related skills.
- In Theory (Scientific) - blends the curiosity of scientific research with the creative expression of performance art.
- Case Closed (Improvisational) – showcases research and storytelling through skits.
- Built To Last (Engineering) – scholars build engineering solutions to specific applications.
- Critter’s Big Adventure (Early Learning) – provides early learning experiences for Pre-K through second graders.
- Project Podcast (Service Learning) – addresses real life community issues.
- American Computer Science League (ACSL) Coding Club – organizes computer programming and computer science.
Each middle school will have five programs:
- STEMbotics – Programming and Building Robots
- PreMed Longhorns – Health or Biomedical Science
- STEMgineers – Promotes Engineering
- Math Olympiad – Math and Problem Solving
- Criminal Investigators – Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Science
The implementation of these programs was made possible by the multi-year, multi-million dollar grant that Cedar Hill ISD was awarded by Educate Texas and Texas Instruments to make STEM education available to every scholar. In addition to the STEM classroom instruction scholars will receive, the extracurriculars will play a valuable role in the learning experience, CHISD Innovator Coordinator Natalie Garrett said.
“These programs will help scholars’ exposure to STEM, as well as their innovation and creativity,” Garrett said. “They will help with creating, building and project-based learning. All of these are employability skills.”
Garrett said the district worked with many of these activities during last summer’s STEM Camp, and scholars responded favorably.
“They loved the instant challenges, and they loved creating,” Garrett said.