What is the HHS Governor's STEM Academy?

Harrisonburg High School Governor’s STEM Academy educates a diverse group of students with a variety of interests, strengths, and backgrounds, to be academic and technical leaders in STEM related fields by creating a culture of collaboration and dynamic participation through integration of multiple disciplines and technologies utilizing three distinct pathways involving coursework in mathematics, science, engineering, computer science, and health care .  We accomplish this goal by providing:

• Three unique Pathways designed for students pursuing particular goals, but under one over-arching philosophy of dynamic learning through integration and experience.
• An opportunity to take advanced classes in math, science, computer science, health care, and engineering depending on the Pathway and focus of the student.
• Constant utilization of integrated computer skills.
• Design projects requiring the application of knowledge, skills, teamwork, and communication.
• Field experience for making connections between class work and the work environment
• Information to make informed decisions on their future educational and career plans.

The students of the STEM Academy created and ratified the bylaws by which the Academy operates. In addition to the bylaws, we have operating procedures that detail how we operate. They also describe the different officers' and chairs' duties.  The Academy is run by two co-directors and a leadership committee of seven officers and chairs.

President - Sophia Yoder (12 )

Vice President -Kate Kirwan  (12 )

Secretary - Abby Kauffman  (11 )

Special Events chair - Abby Fornadel (12 )

Public Relations chair - Anish Aradhey (11)

Middle School Outreach chair -  Jordan Perez (12)

Elementary School Outreach chair - Emma Swartz (11)

Why be a part of the HHS Governor's STEM Academy?

Click on this link to watch a five-minute video of students explaining what being a part of the STEM Academy means to them.

HHS Governor’s STEM Academy Information at a Glance

Each year in the Academy, every student is enrolled in at least one class that is a cohorted class. In other words, at each grade level, there is a class where the Academy students of that grade and in that Pathway are together. Enrollment in this class at each grade level is essential to us forming a community of collaboration and facilitating communication.

HHS Governor’s STEM Academy Freshman Classes

Freshmen in the HHS Governor’s STEM Academy’s T&E or M&S pathways will be enrolled in two STEM courses: STEM Innovations and STEM Honors Biology. During this year, students will explore their interests and formulate a decision on which pathway (Technology & Engineering or Math & Science) they wish to enroll in for their 10-12th grade years.  Students may also choose to take Earth Science since it, or AP Environmental Science is a requirement of the HHS Governor’s STEM Academy prior to graduation in these two pathways. Freshmen in the HHS Governor’s STEM Academy’s Health Care pathway will be enrolled in two STEM courses: STEM Introduction to Health Care and STEM Honors Biology. 

Additional Activities and Opportunities

The Governor’s STEM Academy provides students a wide range of enrichment activities, trips, experiences, and research opportunities during the school day, evenings, weekends, and during the summer. Co-curricular options include Robotics, Technology Student Association (TSA), Virginia Junior Academy of Science (VJAS), and HOSA (Health Care Student Organization) along with a few more! Grades 9-11 are also involved in yearly field trips where students work with professors and researchers at the university level.  This also gives students an inside look at three of our in-state universities. 

College visits are a part of our STEM Academy program. In the T&E and the M&S pathways 9th grade visits James Madison University, the 10th grade goes to Virginia Tech, and 11th grade travels to the University of Virginia. Our senior capstone course of DE Engineering and Biotechnology Applications will also make trips to universities and locations pertinent to current studies.

In the Health Care Pathway, the 9th and 10th-grade students will experience the wide array of career options within the health career field through guest speakers and visits to healthcare-related programs. The 11th grade will visit local colleges and universities to learn about post-secondary education options in health careers.

In addition to college visits, classes also take field trips, visiting local businesses and programs whose work is related to concepts in class so this content can be integrated with real-world and practical applications.  Science classes allow students to conduct research utilizing local experts and report their findings at various levels.  Seniors enroll in a Capstone course that allows for deeper, more involved research and application within an area of interest.

All students, grades 9-12 are encouraged to become involved in student leadership opportunities.  Students can serve on one of several committees as freshmen, and then choose to run for an officer position in grades 10-12.

STEMinars are scheduled once a quarter for student enrichment.  These will vary in time and location.  Students in the Governor’s STEM Academy are expected to attend a majority of these activities.

Summer STEM is a program of summer experiences open to students in the Governor’s STEM Academy that wish to make connections between real-world STEM-related topics and what happens in the classroom. Each Summer STEM experience has a cost and students are accepted by application. Harrisonburg City Schools is committed to providing these experiences regardless of the ability of the student to pay. Scholarships are available. Click on the tab "Summer STEM" for details of this summer's plans.

HHS STEM Academy Faculty

Mr. Myron Blosser - Director, Biotechnology

Mr. Erich Sneller - Assistant Director, STEM Chemistry

Ms. Megan Cullip - STEM Biology and STEM Biology-Health Care

Ms. Tricia Cummings - STEM Medical Terminology, Nurse Aide

Mr. Geoffroy Estes -  FTC Robotics teams coach, TSA sponsor, Robotics and Computer Science, DE Engineering, Engineering II 

Mr. Seth Shantz -  STEM Innovation Explorations and Engineering Analysis, TSA mentor

Dr. Timothy Bill- STEM Biology, STEM Chemistry, Health Care