• Frequently asked questions about the STEAM Experience

     

    What is the course sequence for the STEAM Certification Pathway?

      •   STEAM Foundations
      •   STEAM Digital Communication and Design 
      •   STEAM Digital Design Lab
      •   STEAM Mechanical Design Lab
      •   STEAM English 11: DIY Projects (or AP, college-credit option)
      •   College Honors Creative Problem Solving
      •   STEAM English 12: Dynamic Storytelling (or a college-credit option)
      •   STEAM Honors Design & Development A, B, and C

     

    What is the STEAM Experience at Anoka High School?

    STEAM brings the arts into science, technology, engineering, and math to foster creativity, ingenuity, and innovation; innovation that is necessary for creating new jobs and industries in the future. This arts-infused experience helps students to make viable connections between all areas of learning in order to fully prepare them as they develop skills to become 21st-century learners, explorers and innovators.

     

    What does it mean when we say “the arts”?

    When we say “the arts,” we are not just talking about music or painting or drawing. While those areas are certainly a part of this program, we also include areas such as design and fabrication, web design, software development, fashion design, culinary arts, advertising, product design, music production, and so much more!

     

    Can I be in the STEAM Certification Pathway and still be in choir/band/orchestra?

    Yes!  We have adjusted the number of requirements needed to better serve our students.  There are still the same number of required sections, just spaced out to accommodate music schedules.

     

    What about other HS opportunities like AVID, World Language, AP classes, and PSEO?

    Yes, we work with all of our STEAM students to best accommodate these other opportunities and we have many students who participate in them.  That said, we cannot promise that class scheduling will always allow a student to participate in multiple opportunities (especially the busier they become). If scheduling conflicts do arise, a student may be asked to outline their priorities.

     

    Why did we add STEAM to Anoka High School?

    The U.S. Department of Education reports that the number of STEM/STEAM jobs in the United States will grow by 14 percent from 2010 to 2020, growth that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports as “much faster” than the national average of 5 to 8 percent across all job sectors. Computer programming and IT jobs top the list of the hardest to fill jobs. Arts and creativity are crucial to the sciences, math, technology and computer science. They are the tool that allows technology to be usable in real life! Arts are used in website and user interfaces design, advertising, product design and usability, branding and start-up creation among countless other uses, all things that are crucial to STEM learning and careers. So STEAM education is crucial to educate and prepare the next generation of the American, and global workforce, and to allow this generation to create jobs and grow the economy.

     

    What are the unique elements of the STEAM Experience at Anoka High School?

    Our STEAM Experience offers many unique opportunities to our students, beyond just the STEAM Certification core. Our STEAM students get to learn and work in our Makerspace, which houses 3D printers, laser cutters, soldering equipment, and audio production studios, just to name a few. STEAM students spend four years building a digital portfolio of their work in their STEAM classes and have the opportunity to participate in our annual STEAM Expo, where they can showcase their project work to the broader community and to relevant industry professionals.

    The STEAM Experience has also introduced a number of unique STEAM-inspired electives to Anoka High School, that are open to ALL students, but only at AHS.  These classes include Engineering and Robotics courses, Digital Music Composition I & II, Dance Technique and Dance Company, College Honors Creative Problem Solving, Honors Arts Symposium (currently The Chemistry of Art), and Intro. to Cyber Security.  

     

    How will my classes be taught?

    STEAM classes integrate subject matter, provide “hands-on” experiential learning, include guest speakers, and incorporate engaging field experiences. Learning about science, technology, engineering, and math will be fun, and the arts will heighten creative thinking and enhance learning.

    Students are instructed through a blend of a traditional and Project-Based Learning Model wherein students are immersed in learning through experiential environments. Students receive explicit content instruction but will also learn through our STEAM modules and projects that allow for real learning through inquiry, critical thinking, collaboration and problem solving. This learning experience is focused on authenticity and integrating real-life applications of knowledge and skills.

     

    What happens as a senior?

    Seniors have the option to take the three-trimester Honors Design and Development (HDD) course or select a three-trimester internship. Seniors in the HDD course will be guided through a capstone project that highlights their interests and connects to future career and educational goals.  If the student chooses the internship option, they will work with an internship coordinator to find an appropriate paid employment opportunity in the area of computer science, the arts, engineering, etc.

    Whether seniors take HDD or work an internship, all seniors completing the STEAM Certification Pathway will present their work at the STEAM Expo. STEAM seniors will also all participate in an official STEAM Digital Portfolio Review.

     

    Will I receive recognition for my participation in the STEAM Certification Pathway?

    Yes, STEAM Certification Pathway participants who successfully complete the required STEAM core will receive STEAM certification on their transcript and a medal at graduation.  They will also graduate with a digital portfolio that showcases their project-work throughout all four years of their STEAM Experience.

    In addition, students will participate in a STEAM Expo each spring to showcase the projects they create through their classes.

     

    What does 'successful completion' of the STEAM Certification Pathway mean?

    STEAM students who 'successfully complete' our STEAM Certification Pathway (and therefore receive STEAM certification) have passed all of their STEAM core classes, completed their digital portfolio, and have actively engaged in our annual STEAM Expo.

     

    How do I apply for the STEAM program?

    Students should apply online at nws.k12.mn.us.

    *All students (including those assigned to attend AHS) need to apply online. 

    • The 2024-2025 Priority Magnet School Lottery Application will open on October 13th. Applications received by December 31, 2023 will be prioritized.
    • A second lottery opens on January 8 and closes March 8, 2024.
    • The third (and final) lottery opens on March 13 and closes April 19, 2024.

    If you have questions about the NWSISD magnet school application process, please call 763-450-1303.