STEM Program

Program Overview

STEM at Catholic High is a comprehensive, four-year program.  The intent is to remove the traditional barriers between the four disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – by integrating the four subjects onto one cohesive means of teaching and learning.

Accepted students complete a summer Robotics Camp to prepare for the rigors to come.  They learn programming, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.  

At the first Honors Assembly each Fall, STEM students are recognized, and upon graduation, students earn a special certificate and wear a prestigious STEM honor cord.

STEM students have the potential to earn original college credit from Johns Hopkins Univeristy when they particpate in their Engineering Innovative Program, from Anne Arundel Community College by taking a dual Calc I & II course, and in taking Neumann University courses after school hours.

STEM students take many hands-on courses in our state-of-the-art Joanne Liberatore Kramer, '59, Engineering Room.

To learn more about our STEM Program, middle school students are invited to attend our Annual STEM Day in October.

STEM Mentor Program

Starting in the junior year and continuing throughout the student’s senior year, each student in the program will be paired with a professional woman trained in a STEM field. The purpose of this relationship is to foster the student’s consideration of selecting higher education programs to facilitate a career in a STEM field.

The mentor arrangement will be on a one-to-one basis and will include one day per month where the STEM student will visit with the mentor on the sponsoring company’s premises, either in the main office or in field offices, or possibly other locations such as jobsites.
During the month, the mentor will be available by telephone or email to the student to answer questions and provide advice pertaining to their study of STEM disciplines. This will become increasingly beneficial during the student’s senior year when the student can use her mentor as a resource to complete her Senior Project. The Senior Project is the final engineering course taken through the STEM program. During this course the student will take a product of her own invention or innovation through the engineering design process as if she intended to take the product to market.
 

Requirements for Acceptance

Acceptance into the STEM Program is based on the following criteria. Students must:

• Complete the STEM application
• Score high in the areas of mathematics and science on standardized testing and the High School Placement Test.
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Complete Algebra I before the start of freshman year.
• Incoming freshmen are required to attend a summer Robotics camp (additional fee).

4-Year Curriculum

Summer Enrichment Activities

• Robotics Camp- Summer before 9th grade

• Computer & Network Security Camp- Summer before 10th grade

• Johns Hopkins University Engineering Innovation Program — Grades 10-12 only