STEMOCRACY IN ACTION
I recently had the honor of accompanying a group of Metro students and teachers to the Statehouse during a session of the House Education Committee on a topic that was right up our ally-STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) education. We attended the second hearing on House Bill 155, which seeks to establish a STEM education policy for Ohio.
Battelle's Rich Rosen and Brad Mitchell, the CEO of the Educational Council (another founding partner of the Metro School), testified before the committee. The students introduced themselves to the committee and answered questions about their experiences in a STEM-focused high school.
I was absolutely amazed watching these kids in such a professional setting. How many 14-year-olds can speak into a microphone in a political forum, address the chairman appropriately and think on their feet as they are asked impromptu questions about, of all things, school? And how many, if they did, would show such passion and drive to succeed? One of the committee members called their enthusiasm "contagious!" But to the students, it was another day at Metro … one more experience in a year of amazing opportunities.
Seeing government in action is nothing new to them. School policy is determined through a democratic process-they hold quarterly "town meetings" in which each teacher, student and one adult advocate per student are eligible to vote. They determine their own dress code (business casual), school calendar and other policies such as whether to form a PTA (no) or automatically admit siblings of students (also no).
Creating responsible, democratic, community-minded citizens- it's another Metro guiding principle.
--- Posted May 18, 2007---