Raise Your Paddle
RAISE YOUR PADDLE
FOR SCIENCE AT SMA!
This video is just a sneak peak! We hope it excites you as much as it has out students and teaching teams. At next week's Gala we will celebrate the spirit of discovery at St. Mary's Academy, which began with the traditions of our founding Loretto Sisters and continues with a Paddle Raise dedicated to supporting science. We are excited to open the doors to the next generation of learning facilities, state of the art labs, and STEM spaces where our Lower, Middle and High School students will be inspired to dream, design, and discover.
The world needs more agents of change. We know where to find them. Join us in helping change the world, one SMA student at a time.
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Children starting school now will be graduating in 2035 and likely retiring in 2077. We cannot imagine what the world will be like in 2077, and yet the task is to prepare students to succeed in that world. Scientists face some of the most pressing issues of our time, including climate change, disease, and health care for an aging population. In every area, we are called on to act with compassion, build community, and seek justice. SMA teachers understand that challenge, where students are taught how to problem solve with a real sense of purpose, to become agents of change. The 2022 Gala Paddle Raiser will fortify scientific inquiry and solution-oriented thinking with more tools for the hands-on, collaborative work that engages students and develops skills for higher levels of learning. Lower SchoolUsing hands-on approaches, Lower School students experience the adventure and fun of discovering science. K-2 students participate in the exciting Mystery Science program, and students in grades 3-5 participate in inquiry-based activities based on Next Generation Science Standards, all with the support of a designated science specialist. We have plans to expand the science curriculum in the Lower School, primarily for grades 3 to 5, to include more opportunities for hands-on work. In order for this to take place, additional equipment must be purchased to enhance the already existing supply. Capital improvements and new furniture for the science classroom for grades 3 to 5 are planned for the summer, along with new lab equipment and science kits to enrich and enhance learning experiences for our Lower School students. Middle SchoolThe Middle School authentically connects life-long learners to the world around them through the integration of physical, earth, and life sciences with use of the scientific method to understand the interdependence of science and our shared environment, with science teachers at each grade level. Additional lab equipment is greatly needed, including new microscopes, test tubes, DNA testing kits, and physics equipment. Consumables such as dissecting kits, robotic kits and more are on the wish lists for our science faculty, both for use in our individual science classrooms and the Maker Space under construction in the Middle School. High SchoolThe High School science program develops scientific thinking, communication, and mindset to empower students to take on real-world issues. The foundation of content knowledge and core scientific practices, extended with Advanced Placement® studies, promotes curious, scientifically literate graduates in all disciplines. In addition to the abatement work in the lower level of the High School that was conducted in December 2021, the three large science classrooms will undergo a complete renovation in the summer of 2022, impacting more than 10,500 square feet of space. Updated classroom configuration with new, flexible furniture, addition of ample storage, state-of-the-art teaching walls and laboratory space will transform the current labs into modern spaces for research and innovation. Our students and faculty alike are eagerly anticipating these new learning spaces! With your support, we’ll launch even more agents of change into science fields and make all students join in the effort from their far-reaching fields of interest, whether it be communications and public policy, or math and engineering.
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