STEAM Sophomores finished their defenses today. Successfully defending at the Sophomore level allows students to be eligible for dual credit and internships. Sophomores are presenting their defense through a roundtable discussion with two judges in the common areas of STEAM on the second floor. Judges have included teachers, administrators, and community members. Sophomores discuss the six STEAM habits and how they apply these habits to schoolwork and their daily life. A theme this year has been self reflection on strengths and challenges.
One student, Rafiki, walking out of his defense, commented, “It wasn’t that difficult for me. Freshman year felt more like a presentation.” He went on to say that this year felt more conversational.
Another student, Avery, observed, “With this format of the defense, it was pretty natural to talk with the admin.”
In an interview with the admin lead for Sophomore Defenses, Mr. Hendrix noted, “This setup has been a lot less stressful than what it was like previously with last year’s freshmen.” He noted that the stress reduction was a result of the new conversational style of the defenses. Mr. Hendrix was very impressed with the overall presentations, but one area of improvement that he mentioned was the connection between their personal goals and the STEAM Habits.
A teacher-architect to the entire defense approach at STEAM, Leslie Valley, was asked for her reaction to the past few days. “Overall, I was impressed by students’ honesty and self-reflection, especially when it came to their weaknesses in the STEAM Habits. Knowing personal challenges is so important for growth, and I’m excited to see how these students work towards their goals next year as juniors.”
