Sacred Heart School “Leads the Way” with new

Sacred Heart School “Leads the Way” with new STEM Program

By Anna Biava with input from Linda Padilla

New Mexico State University and Sacred Heart Catholic School are partnering to bring to Gallup a revolutionary Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) program. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting more than 1.3 million open positions in technology and math related fields by 2022, it is critical that our children have access to highquality STEM programs from a very early age, to engage and empower the next generation of problem solvers, innovators, and creators. Together, NMSU and Sacred Heart Catholic School are opening the door of opportunity for Gallup’s students from Pre-K through Grade 8.

With the implementation of Project Lead the Way, instructors at Sacred Heart will undergo weeks of extensive training at NMSU in order to effectively implement the program. Because of this unique teacher training opportunity and Sacred Heart’s already strong foundation in reading and writing, Sacred Heart School is primed to integrate this revolutionary new STEM program.

At the Elementary School Level, Project Lead the Way taps into children’s exploratory nature, engages them in learning that feels like play, and encourages them to keep discovering – now and for years to come. It brings learning to life. The program empowers students to adopt a design-thinking mindset through compelling activities, projects, and problems that build upon each other and relate to the world around them. And as students engage in hands-on activities in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, they become creative, collaborative problem-solvers, ready to take on any challenge.

Middle school is a time of exploration, a time when students are figuring out what they’re passionate about today, and how that relates to who they’ll become tomorrow. During this transitional time, PLTW empowers students to lead their own discovery. The hands-on program boosts classroom engagement and excitement, drives collaboration, and inspires “aha! moments”, and deep comprehension. As students engage in PLTW’s activities in computer science, robotics, engineering, and biomedical science, they see a range of paths and possibilities they can look forward to in high school and beyond.

In order to make this type of education possible for all families of Gallup, an education at Sacred Heart includes a dynamic after school program until 5:30pm, which is ideal for working parents. Operation: Green S.T.E.A.M. allows children to enjoy our premier Lego education, building simple machines and robots, conversational Spanish lessons, dance and creative movement classes, and music lessons each day.

Think you can’t afford it? Think again. All of our students receive an automatic sponsorship which offsets the cost of their education. In addition, there are many scholarship opportunities to help make an education at Sacred Heart School affordable for anyone.

Registration is now open for fall 2018 including the half- and full-day Pre-K programs. Space is limited, so don’t wait. Call today for more information: (505) 863-6652. Think Smart. Think Sacred Heart. www. SacredHeartSchoolGallup.com