Program in 6 of 7 Lawrence County school districts

GETAWAY — Collins Career Technical Center is offering science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education to students starting in the seventh grade in Lawrence County Schools.

The program currently educates 100 seventh grade, 150 eighth grade, 200 ninth grade, 150 10th grade, 184 11th grade and 96 12th grade students.

With the expansion of the STEM program, which is offered at the STEM academy on CCTC’s campus, as well as on the campuses of six of the county’s school districts, CCTC has set the following goals:

To expand the number of students pursuing education in STEM fields.

To expand the STEM-capable workforce in Lawrence County and broaden participation of nontraditional employees in the workforce.

To attract business and industry to the area by having an educated and skilled workforce ready to begin employment.

To increase STEM literacy for all Lawrence students, including those who do not pursue STEM-related careers CCTC has received grants for STEM education from the Southern Regional Education Board and Toyota.

Students in the Nursing and Medical Laboratory programs completed 1,376 clinical hours last semester and will continue to take part in clinical experiences.

STEM students will take part in experimental learning experiences, such as blood drives, designing and building houses with Habitat for Humanity, Vex Robotics competitions, Future Cities and the Skills USA competition.

Project Lead the Way has 152 graduates, who are enrolled or have graduated from college in the filed of engineering.