Local schools earn STEM badge of honor

Las Vegas-area schools represented three of the four recipients of this year’s Governor’s STEM Schools badge of honor.

The designation recognizes schools of all levels for their focus on science, technology, engineering and math curriculum that will prepare students for jobs that may not yet exist, but that will be necessary to move Nevada forward, Gov. Steve Sisolak said Monday at a recognition ceremony at Walker Elementary School in Henderson.

“Nevada is changing. It’s changing quickly and it’s changing drastically,” he said.

Advancing technology is updating traditional Nevada industries like mining and hospitality, and shaping innovations in aviation, health care research, advanced manufacturing and autonomous vehicles, Sisolak said.

“It’s important that every child from a young age is exposed to Stem-related career paths. Not all of them will follow that, of course, but the ones who are interested should then have the chance to take that curiosity beyond just our state and district curriculum,” said career educator and Lt. Gov. Lisa Cano Burkhead, who joined Monday’s ceremony.

The Governor’s STEM Schools label is a state initiative, between the governor and lieutenant governor, the state Office of Science, Innovation and Technology, and the state STEM Advisory Council. Schools are judged on how deeply science is integrated into the curriculum, and must apply for the designation.

Walker Elementary and Bunker Elementary schools, both in the Clark County School District, along with the 100 Academy School of Engineering and Technology, a Ccsd-affiliated charter school in North Las Vegas, and Norman Elementary School of Ely won new honors this year. CCSD’S Mccaw STEAM Academy — the “A” stands for “arts” — got a repeat designation.

CCSD’S Northwest Career and Technical Academy, Leavitt Middle School and O’callaghan Middle School, along with Carson City’s Empire Elementary School, got honors that had been delayed by the pandemic.

Walker Principal Jo Imlay said her students have a big say in how their classrooms are run. Their preference for organic learning, driven by their naturally flowing curiosity, are honored, she said.

One way that’s paid off: Walker’s robotics team placed first in the state among elementary schools this year and 25th in the VEX Robotics World Championship this month.

“This (designation) is my goal,” Imlay said. “It’s been four years in the making.”

Walker is blocks away from Foothill High School, where Cano Burkhead was principal until retiring and taking on her current position last year.

“I’ve known for years that this was a tremendous school, and I could not be more proud that it earned this distinction so our whole state can see that too,” she said.