St. Benedict’s Episcopal School (STBS) is excited to share its Interdisciplinary STEAM Director, Christopher Scandrett, was selected to present at Georgia Tech’s Annual STEAM Leadership Conference. During this year’s event, held virtually the week of March 14, 2022, STEAM leaders shared an inspiring array of experiences to build and engage K12 STEAM education leaders across the country.

“I am very excited to present at Georgia Tech’s STEAM Leadership Conference to showcase St. Benedict’s dedication to STEAM learning and DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging)”, stated STBS Interdisciplinary STEAM Director Christopher Scandrett. “Current research and statistics correlate effective STEAM education with higher-paying jobs and the potential to close the racial and gender pay gap in America. Additionally, creating spaces for minorities, girls, and kids with diverse abilities to engage in STEAM learning has proven to increase their sense of belonging and put them on a path to success in the classroom and beyond.”

Scandrett’s presentation highlighted the research-based benefits for minorities, underserved groups, and children with disabilities (or diverse abilities) by incorporating and integrating STEAM into the educational curriculum. During his talk, he shared new research findings that indicate that the implementation of STEAM content into academic curriculum correlates to heightened classroom engagement of scholars with conditions such as ADHD and reading disorders, an increase of minority groups’ test scores, and an increase in the general sense of belonging to most scholars.

In 2020, St. Benedict’s received a Goizueta Grant totaling $500,000 to fully fund an integrated STEAM program with state-of-the-art technologies and an interdisciplinary STEAM Specialist. STEAM integration is now fully incorporated in every classroom at St. Benedict’s, beginning in preschool through eighth grade. The program also benefits the wider community, offering STEAM-focused summer camps that expose resources that may not otherwise be available to them.

“STEAM integration has engaged our St. B’s students in more active learning and increased opportunities for collaboration and critical thinking,” stated STBS Academic Chair Angela McKenzie. “I see our students as problem solvers now who are going to tackle a problem or challenge with perseverance and creativity. ”

For information on St. Benedict’s Episcopal School’s STEAM program or to schedule a shadow day, please get in touch with Kirsten Perdue, Director of Enrollment Management, at admissions@stbs.org.