STEM at Kennebunk

In our school, a lot of emphasis has been put on STEM subjects, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Kennebunk is beginning to develop a STEM program, allowing students to graduate with STEM-related distinctions and working with college engineering programs in order to determine students’ readiness for engineering programs. Mr. Carp, math teacher and STEM coordinator, says that too many freshmen engineering students have an inadequate foundation in the discipline, resulting in many students changing their majors or dropping out of college. This rigorous STEM program, however, “should change that.”

Although this program is just beginning, Mr. Carp, math teacher and STEM coordinator, says that the program will “build off of classes already present in our curriculum” rather than implementing a separate program. Due to its integration with existing curriculums, the program meshes well with the both AP and IB courseloads. In fact, the majority of options for juniors and seniors are in AP and IB classes. However, as the program develops, the course options are going to expand. This year, Pre-Engineering and Robotics were added to the course catalog, and in future years, Calculus-Based Physics, Advanced Programming, and a Senior Internship will be added.

An interesting twist to this program is the addition of Pass/Fail classes to the course catalog. As it develops, students will be able to take certain STEM classes Pass/Fail, rather than for a number grade. These students will be in the same class as students who are receiving a number grade, but will simply be graded differently. This allows students who, for example, are unsure about a certain AP science class to learn without the pressure of getting a good grade, ensuring that they focus on learning the material. With this set-up, students who are unsure about committing to engineering, science and mathematics will be able to try it out in a low-stakes environment.

Depending on the STEM certification you wish to receive, the requirements of the program are different. All students must take four STEM credits per year, for a total of 16 credits upon graduation. Although these regulations are still in flux as the program develops, currently, STEM Certificiation will require 16 STEM credits, two of which are pass/fail. STEM Certification with Honors is completion of the above coursework, but with no classes taken pass/fail. STEM Certification with Distinction has the same requirements, but with an added extracurricular: Math Team, Robotics Club, or a Senior Independent Project. Mr. Carp believes that students will be able to begin graduating with this STEM Certification as early as the spring of 2015.

As the program develops, it is likely to become even more beneficial for students who want to get a head start on science or technology career before they graduate high school. Mr. Carp has already spoken with UNE and UMO about how to structure this program to best benefit these students. UNE has even written a letter of support for the program, suggesting that as the program develops, they might offer college credit for completing a STEM Certification. If you’re looking to enter an engineering or science major, this program looks to be the perfect preparation.