In just a few short weeks, schools will open for the 2015-2016 academic year, carrying with them the hopes and dreams of their students for their future lives and livelihoods. The choice which school to send your child to is an increasingly difficult one: there are public schools and private ones, there are non-public schools and charters, there are magnet schools and schools for the gifted, and there are schools for the twice exceptional and the thrice exceptional.
On August 24th, The Help Group will open its 10th and newest school, STEM³ Academy, the first of its kind school for the thrice exceptional, for students who are bright and engaged, who experience social and learning differences, and who have an aptitude and a passion for STEM-related pursuits. The connection between STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and our students is not an arbitrary one. Typically, the students are precocious in an academic or applied area such as math, engineering or electronics and have historically been un-served or underserved in those areas. By offering them a curriculum rich in the application of such disciplines, a curriculum rich in computer science, in math to AP Calculus, in Physics and Digital Arts, we intend to provide them a solid foundation from which to springboard and soar, to accomplish their wildest dreams.
The goal of such a high school education is not merely to graduate all of our seniors—historically we have always done that. It is to gain them entry to the college of their choice, and the career and job of their choice, to enable them to stand side by side with their peers and compete in any academic, commercial or industrial environment.
The Help Group was early to recognize the crucial role of socialization in the success of every one of its students and STEM³ Academy is no different. There is a large body of evidence that ‘soft skills’ such as the ability to deal with frustration, with anger, the ability to exert self-control, to get on with others, and to negotiate, are even more important determiners of future success than academic strength alone. And this holds true for all students, not only our own. We believe that because of our unique focus on STEM, and the social nature of most STEM activities, collaboration, interaction and a respect for the other’s point of view are essential ingredients in the process, which gives students a steady series of opportunities to hone those skills. And in so doing, they develop their self-esteem and find their own nature and selves.
What more could one ask of any high school!