VMS students get first tour of STEM building

Published 3:00 pm Thursday, July 25, 2019

VALDOSTA — Valdosta Middle School STEM Academy is open for science and math galore this coming school year.

What took about a year to build is now finished with four labs and eight classrooms set up to be used by the school’s STEM Academy students to learn science, math and technology standards. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“All year, they have been looking forward to this,” said Cody Moncrief, STEM Academy lead teacher. “It just gives us a space to do what we’ve been wanting to do instead of going off campus to do it. We can do it all here now, which makes all of this exciting.”

As part of the fourth annual STEM Camp, which is typically held at the VSU STEAM Center, the camp invited students to tour the new building for the first time ever.The VSU center adds art to the STEM line-up.

Students of all grades checked out their grade-specific classrooms, labs they’ll use for experiments and outside spaces to do more projects.

Previously using the overcrowded main VMS building for STEM Academy classrooms or visiting the VSU STEAM Center, students said they are mostly excited to have their own space to participate in the subjects they love most.

“I expected it to be smaller, so it has met all of my expectations for it and more,” said Madelyn James, incoming seventh-grade student.

James said she can’t wait to do more hands-on experiments in the STEM Academy building’s larger labs, and she’s ready to get a leg up in math, which the STEM Academy’s curriculum tries to teach students at a grade level ahead.

The spaces of the building are intentional, Moncrief said.

The classrooms put two desks together to promote teamwork, labs have several tables and sinks to fit more students and allow more space for projects and the outdoor areas around it contain seating for possible instruction.

However, each space and its use could change based on student feedback. Moncrief wants the students to make this their ideal learning environment.

“There are no limitations on the plans or ideas,” Moncrief said. “That’s empowering to me.”

The STEM Academy has approximately 360 students, but the building can fit up to 450 faculty and students.

There are plans in the works, Moncrief said, to get the entire school involved in the STEM Academy building and its labs and classrooms — not just the STEM Academy students.

“The whole school can reserve it, so it’s a space that everyone can utilize,” Moncrief said. “That’s what the future of this building is. All students can come in here where it’s not just STEM. Eventually, we’re going to have STEM curriculum and strategies throughout.”

The building cost less than $5 million and was paid for using E-SPLOST dollars, Dr. Todd Cason, city school superintendent, said in a previous article.

It broke ground last August and was built by SC Barker Construction.

Valdosta City Schools start back Aug. 8, when Moncrief said the new STEM Academy Building will be in perfect condition to greet students.

“We’re going to be working right up to the day to make it perfect for the first day,” Moncrief said.

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.