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16 JANUARY 27-FEBRUARY 9, 2018 | DENVER CATHOLIC BY JOSH FLORENCE O n Jan. 12, students of St. Fran- cis de Sales quietly gathered in the school's gymnasium. They weren't preparing themselves for an awards ceremony or a guest speaker. Rather, curiosity and ingenuity united them; for they were the speakers, pre- senting their STEM fi ndings, which focused on healthy eating. STEM is an acronym that has gained much popularity amongst the educa- tional community. It stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Using this curriculum, children are presented the four pillars of STEM as an integrated unit, instead of as separate subjects taught in school. The students, working collaboratively, get the chance to address real-world topics and design potential solutions. The opportunities which present themselves through a STEM program have excited the faculty and sta„ so much that they have renamed the school to St. Francis de Sales Catho- lic STEM School. This transition has been in progress over the past couple of years. Teachers have been attending in-services at The University of Denver and have invited speakers to come in from The University of Notre Dame to help prepare them for this undertaking. The school's principal, Sr. Mary Rose Lieb, O.S.F., spoke of the positive impact of a STEM program. "We need to pre- pare students to take a leadership role in our world," she said. "I think these four areas mixed with who we are as a Catholic school, our traditions, our values. . . you mix those together it can't be a better combination for getting our kids ready for the future." In the future, there will be more pre- sentations like the one on Jan. 12. The students, working in groups, will address a school-wide question appropriate for grades pre-K through 8. Presenters will then showcase their fi ndings in front of the student body. It gives an opportu- nity for the children to practice public speaking in order to become tomorrow's leaders. Also, active listening is strongly encouraged. Following the presenta- tions, students have the opportunity to use their laptops to answer questions about what they have learned. Both of these help to promote strong social skills within a global community. The response to this student-cen- tered approach has been well received throughout the community. STEM con- cepts have also been implemented in other subjects, encouraging students to formulate questions, research and present their fi ndings. One fi fth grader asserted, "It's fun because you get to work with other people and you get to learn how to construct a mechanism to show o„ your project." Students have been enjoying working amongst di„ er- ent grade levels in their collaborations. These group clusters consist of pre-K, Around the Archdiocese ©LeapTie Compassionate. Professional. Advance Planning is a Git for those you love Contact us today to get your FREE Leave Well Planning Kit. Call 303.743.8804 HoranCares.com Git for those you love Git for those you love Git for those you love Git for those you love ©LeapTie Git for those you love Git for those you love 620 Elizabeth St. • Denver, CO 80206 • 303- 321- 6231 www.goodshepherddenver.org If you have any questions, please call Sheilah Bradley at 303-261-1647. Providing Catholic education to children in Preschool through 8th Grade in the heart of Denver Please join us for our OPEN HOUSE Thursday, February 1st 8:30 am – 11:00 am Visit www.assumptiondenver.org for more information about the school! Assumption Catholic School 2341 E. 78th Ave. JANUARY 28th 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM OPEN HOUSE STEM program arrives at St. Francis de Sales New educational approach to highlight harmony of science and faith The STEM Program combined with a Catholic education will prepare students to become virtuous, Cath- olic leaders in the world. PHOTO BY ANDREW WRIGHT