The Roboteers have come a long way. The robotics team at Lutheran High School of St. Charles County started as an after-school club nearly a decade ago. In 2018, the school began offering for-credit engineering classes. Then, during the pandemic, the team transformed a passion for engineering into a public service.
Most years, the Roboteers design, build, and compete with industrial-grade robots. During the pandemic, however, the team launched a new initiative, Help from Home. Using 3-D printing, members built and distributed personal protective equipment, including more than 7,000 face shields that were distributed across the Midwest. And during the 2022 FIRST Robotics Competition, the team won both the regional and national Engineering Inspirational Award, which celebrates the appreciation and application of engineering in the community.
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The team’s evolution is just one example of increased demand for hands-on education about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) across the region. STEM occupations are projected to grow by 10.5 percent from 2020 to 2030, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In a tech-driven world, St. Louis high schools are emphasizing the importance of STEM by offering relevant experiences, whether making it’s LEGO models, programming a computer to send emails, or learning about the coexistence of species.
At Saint Louis University High, the Innovation Lab houses cutting-edge technology, workbenches, and monitors, where students can create Latin insignia rings and learn about physics with flight simulators. At the same time, SLUH educators ensure students give back through the Clavius Project, a program in which its high-schoolers work with area middle-school students to teach STEM concepts. Today, there are more than 40 participating middle schools, where kids can be tutored in math and science; build and support robotics; learn about construction and programming; and compete in the Robotics Jamboree at SLUH. And thanks to a new partnership with Saint Louis University, SLUH is expanding its efforts in accessible STEM education. “The robotics program through Clavius can give them an opportunity to dream, to experience, and to engage in partnership with STEM,” says principal Ian Gibbons.
At Principia School, students participate in the annual BioBlitz and work in STEM labs. The former allows students to explore the school’s 360 acres while documenting as many species as possible alongside experts. Science teacher Lynne Scott, who serves as Principia’s sustainability coordinator, says the event’s goals are twofold: to track biodiversity and to raise awareness. “You see people leave with this greater connection to the land,” she says.
Principia’s STEM labs also emphasize engagement. Students choose STEM-related projects that are directly connected to their passion and, often, bettering the lives of others. As science department chair Melanie Shedd says, “It’s not just about learning the technology.”
CAMPUS UPDATES
High schools across the metro area are making upgrades. In recent years, St. Joseph’s Academy completed $7.5 million in enhancements, including the Weidert Center for Integrated Science and a humanities hall. On the heels of a $6 million pledge, Lutheran High School South is planning a new performing arts center, complete with an auditorium, music practice rooms, and more. After renovating its quadrangle and courtyard, Nerinx Hall plans to break ground on a new wing that will emphasize STEM-related topics and careers. And over the past year, Incarnate Word Academy rolled out several additions, including a multi-sport turf athletic field, a new cafeteria with outdoor seating, and a renovated chapel.
