13 diocesan schools, 131 teachers receive Thomas Edison Awards for STEM education, student research

More than a dozen Catholic schools in the Diocese of Cleveland are among the 58 Ohio schools selected this year to receive the Governor?s Thomas Edison Awards for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research for their accomplishments in the 2016-2017 school year. In addition, 131 diocesan teachers from those schools also received the awards.

The 13 diocesan schools receiving the awards are Holy Trinity, Avon; St. Raphael, Bay Village; Academy of St. Adalbert, Berea; St. Mary, Chardon; Beaumont School, Cleveland Heights; St. Jude, Elyria; St. Hilary, Fairlawn; St. Paschal Baylon, Highland Heights; St. Michael, Independence; St. Francis Xavier, Medina; and St. Peter, North Ridgeville.

?We commend and congratulate these schools and teachers for their leadership in the STEM field and in recognition of its growing importance in the education of students,? said Christopher Knight, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Cleveland.

STEM education is defined by the Ohio Academy of Science as both the mastery and integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for all students in pre-kindergarten to grade 12. It incorporates scientific inquiry and technological design through student-focused, project-based curricula to develop skills of communication, teamwork/collaboration, creativity/innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Each school will receive a certificate and each teacher will receive a complementary membership to the Ohio Academy of Science. The technology division of the Ohio Development Services Agency funded the program.

Criteria for the Thomas Edison Award for Excellence are:

• To conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students;


• Qualify two or more of those students for one of the academy?s 17 district science days;


• Have students participate in at least one or more youth science opportunities beyond the classroom suck as State Science Day, Science Olympiad, B-Wiser, visits to museums, mentorship programs and extended field trips and


• Convince external STEM professionals how and to what extent the school?s program met the academy?s definition of STEM education.