By Colleen Cochran
Contributing Writer

Three Avon Grove Middle School students who participate in the school’s STEM program, named “Project Lead the Way,” spoke publicly to school board members about the content of their classes and their sentiments toward those classes. 

School principal Janice Lear introduced the speakers and spoke a bit about the STEM program, which was broadened when the middle school moved into its new building last year. She said the program is important to furthering Avon Grove School District’s mission to help students achieve future-ready skills. 

Student Leighton Zimmerman spoke about his sixth-grade program, entitled Automation and Robotics. He described how students in the class learn construction and programming skills so they can equip apparatus with input and output devices to enable them to move. He said the completed robots are capable of performing a variety of tasks. He remarked that in addition to substantive science skills, the classes reveal to students the values of listening to other ideas and working as a team.

Daniel (DJ) Owen, a seventh-grade student, spoke about his grade level’s class entitled Medical Detectives. He said that students function as real-life doctors to research and study diseases and then to find cures for them. He said, “First, we have to collect and analyze data so that we can properly diagnose a disease.” He stated that in this class he has learned about different bacteria and ways to protect people’s health from those bacteria and about how to use new medical technology and machinery.

A description of the eight-grade Flight and Space program was delivered by Katie Harrington. She said students in the class become engineers who design, prototype, and test models to learn about the science of flight and what it takes to travel and live in space. She said she is particularly excited about the end-of-the-year project in which students in the class will plan a trip to Mars.

Steve Krech is the STEM instructor who oversees these classes, and students’ enthusiasm during their presentations confirmed that he has inspired in them a passion for science. In fact, all three student speakers stated that they plan to one day pursue a career in science.

Board Member Ruchira Singh remarked, “I could sense students’ enthusiasm about their classes. There is a big difference in learning that takes place between a class you have “to get through” and a class you are truly excited about.” She thanked Mr. Krech for creating the wonderful projects and for rousing student intrigue.