READY. SET. LEARN. Middle School STEM2M students begin engineering experiments

As soon as the 8th grade Middle School students buttoned up their STEM2M lab coats, they were ready to learn.

Today, on the first day of school, 25 students in the STEM2M "Center for Innovation" classroom explored a lesson in engineering. In 18 minutes, student teams collaborated to erect a tower from dried spaghetti noodles, 36 inches of masking tape and one marshmallow. The highest tower measured 75 inches.

"The whole concept of our STEM2M curriculum is to teach independent learning," said MMS Science teacher, David Lammert. "Our STEM2M courses take our students out of the 'ordinary curriculum' for a totally different level of learning and understanding. It teaches them how to think in practical, real-life circumstances outside of the classroom."

Both middle school STEM2M courses, "It's All About STEM" and "Medical Detectives" have reached enrollment capacity. There are 150 students registered to take the classes over two nine week sessions.

Middle school Science teachers Megan Johnson and Vicki McGarry also are teaching the STEM2M courses.

Community outreach and partnerships is another goal of the STEM2M initiative. Area scientists, such as forensic scientists, also are expected to teach classes with the students throughout the year.

"We want to expose our students to think in practical, real-life circumstances outside of the classroom, Mr. Lammert said."