North Middle School ‘filled to the brim’ with STEM

  • Published
  • By Raquel March
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  Franklin County North Middle School is filled to the brim with STEM, but they have room for more.

The school is the recipient of multiple Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning aids from Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC).

"AEDC has supported North Middle School at multiple levels," said Jim Murphy, a North Middle School, sixth grade mathematics teacher. "From donating STEM modular kits that teach concepts such as kinetic energy, to monetary support used to purchase tech and math equipment. Strong onsite support has been given by AEDC offering and instructing the 13 week course 'Fly to Learn' and assisting in NMS [North Middle School] Lego® robotics."

The AEDC STEM coordinator, Jere Matty, assisted North Middle School with several of their STEM activities. Matty has assisted Middle Tennessee region schools for more than two years by loaning Challenger Center Aries Kits to rocket launchers that demonstrate motion properties. Matty also provides volunteers to instruct and coach STEM activities similar to the STEM aviation program Fly to Learn, such as various types of Lego Robotics programs and MathCounts®. Murphy's math team competed in the MathCounts competition sponsored by the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) and AEDC where students solved mathematical problems.

The Aerospace Testing Alliance (ATA) Employee and Community Activities Committee made a $1,000 donation to aid the school in purchases of math equipment and Murphy explained how the donations have benefited his students.

"Our STEM program is beginning its second year, and through our partnership with AEDC, we are years ahead of our original goals," he said. "All materials are used on a daily basis either in tech club, lab or during the regular school day. Since utilizing the learning aids, our students who take advantage of our new resources realize that STEM is for everyone, and it's around us every second of the day."

The school provides an open lab where students may arrive as early as one hour prior to the start of the school day to work on projects or develop skills such as flying drones or coding.

Murphy and another North Middle School teacher, Kyle Reid, have plans for utilizing AEDC's generosity in STEM activities, and funding and they have high hopes for the future of STEM at the school.

"Our hope for the future of STEM at NMS is to continue developing an interest in science, technology, engineering and math among our students, so that one day their path will lead them to a tech career," Murphy said. "We would like the success of our efforts to reach the community, so that professionals considering moving to our area would realize their children would be getting a world class education."

Murphy anticipates working with AEDC and the community to have students visit engineering related facilities so students may see first-hand how the hands-on-activities conducted in the classroom relate to the real world. He also plans to seek female engineer volunteers to inspire the girls participating in the school's STEM programs to continue striving for a career in a STEM field such as.