Teaching Problem Solving and Hands-On Skills Through High School STEM Programs

How do we get students who can problem-solve easily? How about young women who are confident in their hands-on skills? These motivations prompted the development of the after-school STEM Program at St. Ursula Academy, a private all girls school in Toledo, Ohio. Through this program, students in grades 8-12 participate in various science competitions throughout the school year including: Falcon BEST Robotics, NASA's Planet Mars Competition, and Science Olympiad. Through participating in these competitions, students learn to approach big questions such as "How do you build a robot that can drive on the Moon?" and break them down into smaller sections and find solutions for each one. When their designs need parts, students must design and build them: developing skills with woodworking, power tools, wiring, and more. Presenting their work at competitions helps students build skills in marketing, team-building, and public speaking. Students involved in this program have reported increased confidence and joy in learning skills outside the typical curriculum. Alumni from this program have applied these skills to pursue careers in engineering fields.