STEM Education

Students at Alameda International, in grades 7-12, have multiple opportunities to experience, and explore, STEM content, careers, current trends and issues.

As an IB World School, students are not just taking STEM classes, but learning how STEM is applied in the real world and how these applications impact various aspects of society from jobs and economics, to health, the environment and geopolitics.

Alameda International partners with Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in Golden, recognized as one of the nation's top universities for engineering, for many of our STEM opportunities.

Alameda International uses the Project Lead the Way Curriculum for many of our STEM classes.

Pre-College

Pre-college STEM programs (no cost to participate):

Middle school (girls)

Full STEM Ahead

Full STEM Ahead

• Week-long, overnight summer camp (July) at Colorado School of Mines for girls entering eighth grade. 
• STEM activities include making jewelry (metalurgy), extracting DNA, circuit boards, programming robots, geology scavenger hunt, FBI Forensics Lab, and more!
• An Alameda staff member remains on campus with students at all times.

Contact Jennifer.Borcan@jeffco.k12.co.us for more information.

High School

Mines TRIO-UBMS (Upward Bound Math and Science)

TRIO-UBMS

• Four-year pre-college STEM program 
  • Six-week immersive college summer experience with opportunities to live on campus and travel to local, regional and national colleges.
  • During the school year students participate in fun, STEM-focused experiences and field trips as well as tutoring opportunities
  • Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA to receive an $80 stipend per semester. Tutoring is mandatory for those falling below a 2.5. 
  • College, FAFSA and CAFSA application assistance.
• Students are encouraged to apply in the spring of their eighth-grade year during the eighth-grade science fair in March.
• Students in grades 9-11 can apply at any point and applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Contact Stephanie Martinez, Alameda International TRIO/UBMS coordinator at smartinez3@mines.edu for more information.

STEM Student Organizations

STEM student organizations (no cost to participate):

Middle and high school

SHPE Jr

SHPE Jr

• SHPE is the largest association in the U.S. for Hispanics, but students do not have to be Hispanic to join SHPE. While Alameda International's student body demographics are majority Latino/a/e, we welcome all Alameda International students interested in STEM!
• AI SHPE Jr is sponsored by SHPE at Colorado School of Mines and Mines students act as mentors for our middle and high school students.
• AI SHPE Jr offers leadership opportunities, hands-on STEM activities and trips. As a student-led organization students determine the agenda and focus for the year. We have participated in numerous STEM competitions and community outreach events promoting our 4 core values: Familia, Service, Education, Resilience. 

Contact CeXochitl.DeLaTorre@jeffco.k12.co.us for more information.

National Green Schools Society (NGSS)

NGSS

• This student organization does not meet in-person.
• NGSS is a national honor society for students who are interested in environmental-related careers, hobbies and/or addressing environmental justice issues.
• Beginning in grade 7, students can work independently or in groups to complete Environmental Education (EE) or Environmental Service (ES) hours towards an NGSS graduation stole.
• High School students who take and pass Earth Science and/or Environmental Science with at least a C, will be able to document 50 EE hours per class. 
• High School students who participate in Outdoor Lab as mentors will be able to earn 80 ES hours.

Contact CeXochitl.DeLaTorre@jeffco.k12.co.us for more information.

High school

Health Careers Student Association (HCSA)

The newest student organization at Alameda International focuses on providing students with opportunities to explore health-related careers.

Contact Stephen.Houwen@jeffc.k12.co.us for more information.

STEM Classes, Career-Related Programme (CP) Engineering Pathway

Middle school

Project Lead The Way Gateway Curriculum

Project Lead The Way Gateway Curriculum

• Middle school core classes (all students will complete these PLTW units within their core science class):
  • MYP Year 2 (seventh grade) – PLTW Flight and Space
  • MYP Year 3 (eighth grade) – PLTW Energy in the Environment
• Middle school elective class
  • MYP Year 3 (eighth grade) – PLTW App Creators

High school

STEM core classes (non-PLTW) 

• 10th grade: Earth Science with STEM focus (partnership with Colorado School of Mines)
  • Students participate in the EcoShpere Innovation Cup to research, design and build a solution to an environmental problem

PLTW Engineering Curriculum

PLTW Engineering Curriculum

• PLTW elective classes (a la carte) – students can take these as individual elective classes
  • 9-12: Computer Science Principles (AP college credit)
  • 10-12: Introduction to Engineering Design
  • 11-12: Civil Engineering and Architecture (CAD industry certification)
  • Students completing at least two PLTW courses with a C or better receive a PLTW Engineering stole for graduation.
  • Contact your counselor to sign up for individual PLTW courses.
• IB CPEngineering (part of a career pathway) 
  • Grades 11 and 12 (2 years to complete the pathway)
  • Students take at least two of the PLTW elective classes as part of their IB CP Engineering pathway coursework.
  • Students also take at least three IB Diploma Programme courses (college-level), a Personal and Professional Skills (PPS) course, complete a Reflective Project (RP) and participate in community service hours.
  • Students completing the PLTW coursework with a C or better within the CP Engineering pathway receive a PLTW cord, along with an IB CP graduation stole.

Contact Stephen.Houwen@jeffco.k12.co.us for more information.

Learn More About STEM Education in Jeffco