April 28, 2022
Registration open for College of Education's Virtual STEAM Academy
Registration is now open for Kansas State University College of Education’s Virtual STEAM Academy, offering hands-on learning activities for middle school students throughout the state of Kansas from June 6-23.
As a spinoff of the popular in-person Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 and College of Education's Summer STEM Institute, the virtual academy focuses on STEAM, or science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The academy offers a variety of classes, including multiple new topics. The full list of class topics includes:
- Writing Secret Codes, Riddles and Hidden Messages: Can You Hide in Plain Sight?, taught by Anissa Bigler, English and speech teacher at Bennington High School
- M.U.S.I.C., or Music Using STEM is Cool, taught by Jessica Vanstory, K-State senior studying music education and a member of the K-State Marching Band
- Sports Science, taught by Angie Messer, instructor for the curriculum and instruction department
- Stop Motion Animation, taught by Rachel Asbury, seventh- and eighth-grade computer science teacher at Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School
- Planet Podcast, taught by Shelly Camba, English language arts teacher at Susan B. Anthony Middle School
- Powers Unite: Superhero and Villain STEAM, taught by Lori Rice, teacher with the Manhattan Virtual Academy
- Debate: The Art of Argument, taught by Annie Goodson, director of debate and forensics at Blue Valley West High School
- Kansas Corn STEM, taught by Jessica Sadler, middle school science teacher in Olathe and lead teacher for Kansas Corn STEM
- Celebrating the “Art” in Language Arts, taught by Kaylyn Hoppe, teaching assistant professor at KSU
The program will consist of virtual Zoom sessions and is open to students in the fifth to eighth grades during the 2021-2022 school year.
The virtual academy offers hands-on, high-engagement activities led by highly-qualified teachers throughout the region. The classes are designed to make use of many common household items to keep expenses at a minimum for participants, especially those who are participating from home.
The virtual academy was developed by Lori Goodson, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction and Summer STEM Institute coordinator. Calista Speake, current North Kansas City School District kindergarten teacher and former Amanda Arnold Elementary School kindergarten teacher, serves as principal of the virtual academy.
The program is open to individual students who would like to participate from home and school districts that are interested in a hybrid version where the classes are taught virtually in classrooms with on-site teachers from the local district to assist.
To register, visit the Virtual STEAM Academy website.
If you have questions about the STEAM Virtual Academy, contact Speake or Goodson.