MVPS Named a STEM Educational Award Finalist

Sep 9, 2014 | Lower School News, Uncategorized

IMG_9122The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), our state’s leading association dedicated to the promotion and economic advancement of Georgia’s technology industry, recently announced that Mount Vernon Presbyterian School has been named a Finalist in the Elementary School category for the 2014 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Education Awards. TAG recognizes schools, programs, and companies for outstanding efforts and achievements in supporting and promoting STEMΒ Education in Georgia.
Selected among 220 nominees, Mount Vernon was chosen as a finalist for its design thinking approach to learning. Notably, the School instituted the first, comprehensive k-12 design thinking program in Atlanta. Through its utilization of DEEP (Discover, Empathize, Experiment, and Produce), students in the Lower School each year participate in an Invention Convention. Young innovators are presented with a challenge to invent something to solve a human-centered problem. To inspire creativity, students research inventors like Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, and Benjamin Franklin. Discovering creative thinking, perseverance, and failure are required traits to accomplish great things, students create invention prototypes. Some of the inventions have included the Motivational Mirror, which plays music with inspirational sayings and quotes, the Lego Shield–which protects lego creations from being destroyed by friends, the Pencil Patrol Eliminator, the Automatic Dog Crate, and the Convenient Recycle Table. Judges for the Convention include several real-life inventors from the community. β€œWe are thrilled and incredibly honored to be a STEM Award finalist because it reaffirms design thinking, human-centered problem solving, teaches our students how to be innovators now versus waiting until they enter the workforce,” says Head of Lower School Shelley Clifford.
This year’s finalists were chosen among 220 applicants in 8 different categories:

  • Elementary School
  • Middle School
  • High School
  • Post Secondary Outreach
  • Extracurricular Program
  • STEM Certified School Outreach
  • Corporate Outreach
  • Best STEM Day Activity

Winners in each category will be officially honored at The 3rd Annual STEM Education Awards eventΒ held on September 26 at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center in Savannah, Georgia. Β The event is presented by TAG, theΒ TAG Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed), a non-profit 501c3 dedicated to advancing STEM education in Georgia, andΒ TAG Savannah.
β€œIt is exciting to see the progress we are making with STEM education in Georgia. The increase in nominations each year and the quality of the nominations made it difficult for our judges,” said Michael Robertson, Executive Director of TAG Education Collaborative. β€œCongratulations to the Finalists! Β Your work engaging these students in STEM will benefit the students you touch for years to come with challenging and exciting careers.”
β€œSTEM occupations will increase in Georgia by more than 22,000 during the current decade,” said Tino Mantella, president & CEO of TAG. β€œThe finalists of this year’s STEM Education Awards are helping to prepare the tech-ready workforce needed to fill these jobs and we applaud them for standing out as leaders in Georgia’s educational community.”
About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 24,500members and hosting over 200 events each year via 6 chapters across the state including Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia and Savannah. TAG serves as an umbrella organization for 34 industry societies, each of which provides rich content for TAG constituents. TAG’s mission is to educate, promote, influence and unite Georgia’s technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides members with access to networking and educational programs; recognizes and promotes Georgia’s technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state’s economic climate for technology.
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