STEMworks PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

An innovative, relevant approach to STEM education
Unlike any other class in Hawaii’s middle and high school curriculum, STEMworks is a multi-faceted, hands-on program where students get to use the most current, high-end technologies in actual service learning projects.  This is more than an after-school science club. And it’s much more than an enhanced “computer class”. As STEMworks teams work on current community issues, the process teaches them to: • Acquire and analyze information • Tackle locally-based issues and provide solutions • Apply the latest high tech solutions.

Becoming better thinkers
Students join a STEMworks Lab not only to learn the latest science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) technologies, they also get to work with local industry partners to apply their skills to specific issues, gaining the satisfaction of knowing their efforts are contributing toward improving life on their respective islands.  Once a STEMworks team identifies an existing problem/opportunity, each is tasked with creating a project design to customize and test their solution. During the process, they learn how to develop an industry partner relationship, provide an actual deliverable, and maintain an ongoing solution for the future. Ultimately, the goal for students is to become better strategic thinkers who can draw on technology to tackle unpredictable, real life concerns.

Learning to use cool tools
In tackling a range of challenges, STEMworks students have the chance to develop relevant 21st century skills in:  Animation • Computer-aided design (CAD) • Engineering design • Visualization • Database design • Webpage design • Programming • Office automation • Global Positioning Systems (GPS) • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)