Dalewood Middle School was named an Amazon Future Engineer school, which will provide access to computer science materials and curriculum through a partnership between Amazon and Project STEM.
The program supports communities that are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math fields. Schools like Dalewood will be supplied with computer science material and curriculum from Project STEM, including introductory courses in computer science, programming with languages like Python and advanced placement computer science courses.
“Amazon’s investment in our schools through their Amazon Future Engineer program will help the district reach our goal of providing future-ready students prepared for success after graduation,” said Hamilton County Schools Superintendent Bryan Johnson in a news release. “These skills are vital for young people, and the early start for our middle school children in this program will reap benefits while the students are in school and as they move forward in a career or postsecondary opportunity after high school.”
Resources like digital fabrication labs, or eLabs, have come to Hamilton County and continue to expand across the school district.
Dalewood received an eLab in 2017 through funding from Volkswagen, and seven elementary schools will receive an eLab this year through an anonymous $1 million donation to the Public Education Foundation. At last week’s Chattanooga Fabrication Institute, a Dalewood teacher and rising eighth grade student kicked off a series of conversations about eLabs and shared their experience working on different projects to an audience of around 150 educators.