Bishop Noll will be the only in school in Northwest Indiana to have a STEM curriculum. STEM will keep Noll moving forward to bigger and better things that will benefit the students more efficiently.

STEM is a problem based program to get students thinking more creatively and realistically to prepare them for life out of school, where people are not giving them set guidelines on how something needs to be done. Students coming in as freshman will take the STEM class.

“There are schools utilizing STEM in different ways throughout the state.BNI’s integrated STEM program will be the first of its kind in this area of Indiana. Many schools call themselves a STEM school, but they really are STEM in name only.They are not doing the work that we are doing to write a curriculum, etc,” said principal Craig Stafford.

As of right now, the only classes being affected by the implantation of the STEM program here at Noll are the math and sciences classes. Everything students learn will be through a project that can show you what is being taught can be applied in real-world situations.

Mr. Mark Miller, math teacher, agrees that STEM will be good for the math and science departments at Bishop Noll.

With the STEM program, students will learn to work together better with the collaboration of ideas to make something work and to learn how to solve problems outside of a book and a set rubric, according to Stafford.

Employers will want to hire someone who can think critically and get a problem solved in a shorter period of time, more efficiently, and can collaborate well with others.

“The vision for STEM at BNI is to equip our students with 21st Century skills needed to be real life innovators who are prepared to solve world problems and make meaningful contributions to society. BNI graduates will be prepared to be successful, in college, the workforce, and life,” Stafford said.