In Caldwell: Archdiocese Chooses Trinity Academy For STEM Program Pilot

CALDWELL, NJ — The Newark Archdiocese is taking steps to increase STEM learning in North Jersey, and one of them is taking place in Caldwell.

According to school administrators, Trinity Academy of Caldwell has been chosen by the Archdiocese of Newark to be a pilot school for a new STEM program titled “Global Challenges, Local Solutions.”

The program aims to “empower students to develop solutions and technologies to meet challenges we face now and in the future,” administrators at the pre-K to grade 8 Catholic grammar school stated.

Trinity Academy is one of just 30 schools selected by the archdiocese to participate, officials said.

“Since September, students in grades 5 to 8 have been working in groups on projects focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” school administrators wrote in a news release. “They have focused on specific world regions and have engineered solutions to challenges that keep the end-user in mind. Some of the issues addressed include climate change, world hunger, education for all, resilient housing, infrastructure and transportation issues, access to clean water and care of Earth’s natural resources.

Trinity Academy Principal Mary Cassels said the initiative is designed to take STEM education into the real world.

“I’m so proud of the talent, vision, collaboration and care that have gone into these projects and I know the students are excited to showcase their thoughtful work,” Cassels said.

Student projects will be display during a fair on Thursday, Feb. 9, at the Trinity Academy campus from noon to 7:30 p.m. in the gymnasium. The community is invited and encouraged to attend. At 1 p.m., Tim Castano, president of New Start New Jersey, will make a brief presentation on his work with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Health Millennium Development Goals and for Malaria.

Editor's Note: Because of the anticipated snow storm on Thursday, the STEM event is being rescheduled for Wednesday, February 15, from 10 am -12 noon, and 3 pm - 7 pm.

During the fair, projects will be judged, and the top projects will be exhibited at the archdiocesan level at a STEM expo extravaganza on March 25 at the Archdiocesan Youth Center in Kearny.

Photo: Flickr Commons

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