Griffin-Spalding County Teachers & Students Gained Real World STEM Experience

As part of the AMP-IT-UP initiative and Georgia Tech’s Georgia Intern Fellowships for Teacher (GIFT) program, several Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) teachers and high schools students spent their summer immersed in hands-on STEM internships. GSCS teachers interned at local businesses to experience first-hand, the connections between classroom activities and actual STEM applications.

Spalding High teacher Lewis Pulliam interned at Sumika Polymers while Thomas Stinson, Carver Road Middle teacher, and Robyn Walker, Jackson Road Elementary teacher, interned at Caterpillar, Inc. These teachers will take their internship experiences and convert them into classroom lesson plans to share with their students.

Seven Griffin High students participated in the newly launched GSCS High School STEM Internship Program. Tyrique Hannah and Zakariayh Cox interned at UGA-Griffin campus; Cameron Davis, Jeramie Paz and Muhammad Butt interned at the Candler Field Museum (a 1920s/1930s replica of HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport) and D'Asia Dennis and Fatima Humayun interned at Spading Regional Hospital. These students had the opportunity to learn about the skills and knowledge needed in STEM-related careers. During this four-week program, students gained hands-on experiences in robotics, wheat research, aviation, radiology and physical therapy.

AMP-IT-UP is a $7.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation that GSCS and Georgia Tech are implementing. The grant’s purpose is to improve science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and foster the next generation of creative designers.

School Superintendent Jim Smith stated, “These internships are a great opportunity for us to partner with local businesses to help benefit our teachers, students and district. These hands-on and real-world experiences provide invaluable professional development for both GSCS teacher and students.” Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR-QTHoSsZ8 to view a video featuring the internships at Sumika Polymers and the Candler Field Museum.

 

Article written and published by the Griffin-Spalding County Schools Office of Communications.