District Announces Opening of Agriculture STEM Academy

The Pike County School System is dedicated to preparing students for 21st Century careers by providing high quality educational opportunities in STEM. STEM represents the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM education encourages a curriculum that is driven by problem solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and student-centered development of ideas and solutions. The saturation of technology in most fields means that all students – not just those who plan to pursue a STEM profession – will require a solid foundation in STEM to be productive members of the workforce.

Pike County High School will welcome students to the first STEM Academy in the fall of 2013.  The high school’s approach to STEM education will integrate Geometry and Biology with Agriculture.  All three will be Gifted/Honors courses scheduled during first through third periods.  Three sections of students in the STEM Academy will take these three courses to start each school day. This schedule will provide the opportunity for flexible grouping, multi-period labs, guest speakers, field trips, and common planning for STEM Academy teachers.

While the Science and Mathematics components of the academy are self-evident, you may have some questions about the rest of the STEM Academy.  Where are technology and engineering? What does Agriculture have to do with STEM?

Agriculture is the vehicle providing technology and engineering to the STEM Academy.  Agriculture is also the perfect subject matter to bring relevance to the STEM Academy in Pike County.  The school system is located in the heart of Georgia’s agricultural economy, and it is within minutes of the University of Georgia’s Agriculture experiment station at the Griffin campus.   These resources will provide outstanding resources for students to experience firsthand how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics impact agriculture and everyday life.  This academy isn't just for students pursuing careers in agriculture, but for students wishing to engage in a rigorous course of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.