STEM Education at ORCA: Inspiring Future Scientists One Opportunity at a Time

In October, Oregon Charter Academy (ORCA) students attended a virtual field trip at an Amazon Fulfillment Center and watched live as workers used technology to sort and ship customer orders. As part of the event, Amazon Fulfillment Services staff demonstrated how they use computers, autonomous robots, coding and science to deliver products. Opportunities like this are a fantastic way for ORCA students to witness firsthand the application of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in a real-world setting. 

STEM topics are an important focus area for our students. Not only are these careers in high demand, but they also have the potential to change the world for the better. So, in recognition of National STEM Day on Nov. 8, we're highlighting a few of our favorite STEM-related activities here at ORCA.

ORCA’s Hands-On STEM Opportunities  

There are endless paths people can take within STEM, which is why we provide our students as many opportunities as possible to explore this world in hopes that they discover something that sparks their imaginations. For example, our fifth grade students recently worked on designing catapults during an in-person field trip; they then tested their designs by measuring the distance that a ping pong ball traveled after being launched from their catapults made from popsicle sticks, plastic spoons and tape. Additionally, all of our high school biology students receive a USB-connected digital microscope that’s compatible with their ORCA-issued Chromebook, allowing them to easily capture images of their samples.

These efforts are underscored by our outstanding science and mathematics programs, both of which include honors-level courses that all our students can take. Beyond our regular curriculum, we've also developed career and technical programs, along with extracurricular clubs that help bring STEM to life. One of our flagship programs takes our students inside America's space program and its new mission to return to the Moon. 

NASA Club and Artemis Missions 

Space travel wouldn't be possible without STEM, which is why NASA has made a concerted effort to recruit the next generations of space scientists among today's students. ORCA's NASA Club provides the unique opportunity for students to attend monthly live streams hosted by NASA employees at Space Center Houston and the Goddard Space Flight Center. During each live stream, students participate in a 45-minute presentation led by a NASA employee, followed by a 15-minute question and answer session. After three years, our NASA Club has more than 150 members and has hosted 27 live stream events.

This unique relationship also provides other incredible opportunities for our students. Over the summer, ORCA was the only K-12 public school in Oregon to host a real-time viewing party of  the first images captured by the James Webb space telescope. We were also able to partner with the University of Oregon (UO) Pine Mountain Observatory to provide attendees the opportunity to see the sun through their telescopes at the event. 

In the coming months, our NASA Club will also participate in NASA's Artemis missions, which will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon with the goal of eventually traveling to Mars. The Artemis I launch is coming soon, and our NASA Club will have special access to educational resources for all ORCA students to use.  

Pine Mountain Observatory Field Trip

Our space sciences exploration doesn't stop with NASA. In September, a group of ORCA students and faculty traveled to UO's Pine Mountain Observatory in Bend. Students had the chance to view Saturn and Jupiter through the observatory telescope and learn more about the astronomy field. UO is also giving ORCA students and faculty access to their library of telescope images for use in curriculum and projects.  

ASCEND Career and Technical Training

Of course, STEM plays a vital role in careers here on Earth, which is why we developed ASCEND, ORCA's Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for high school students interested in STEM fields. The program's goal is for students to graduate with industry certifications to quickly move into a career after high school. One popular ASCEND path is computer science, which covers topics like coding and video game design. 

In addition to computer science, ASCEND students can choose medical and veterinary sciences paths. We've also begun developing a cybersecurity curriculum, which is another career field of growing importance. Just like for our other ASCEND pathways, we've recruited consultants with industry experience to join an advisory committee that ensures what ORCA teaches aligns with what experts in the field of cybersecurity actually do. ORCA students can also take courses to earn cybersecurity endorsements they can use to find work after graduation.

STEM-Focused Student Clubs

ORCA's extracurricular clubs are another great place for students to explore STEM. In addition to our NASA Club, we also offer a Science Olympiad club which features monthly STEM challenges and hands-on learning, along with a K-8 Coding Club where students learn various coding languages. 

One unique feature of ORCA's club system is that students can propose new club ideas based on their interests. Recently a group of students came to the faculty with an idea for a Biomimicry Design Club, which will explore how humans use nature as an inspiration for the design and engineering of human materials, structures or systems. Students in this new club will develop projects for the Biomimicry Institute's 2022-2023 Youth Design Challenge.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists

It's a wonderful time for students to be curious about science because more resources are available than ever before. And once a student discovers a STEM topic that excites them, it could be the factor that encourages them to pursue higher education or a career in STEM. ORCA commits so strongly to STEM education because we believe our students will be among the next generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians who will make critical discoveries after being encouraged at a young age to pursue science.

For example, our 4th-grade students have the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and problem-solving skills while completing an engineering design challenge to build a model of a simple machine or Rube Goldberg device. Our 5th-grade students are offered a full-day in-person outdoor school-style field science experience annually to experience authentic environmental studies. We're proud to do our part to inspire the next generation of scientists and can't wait to witness all their incredible accomplishments.

Learn More About Our STEM Programs

If you'd like to learn more about ORCA’s STEM programs or the benefits of attending a virtual school, please join us for one of our monthly virtual information sessions, where you'll have the opportunity to connect with ORCA staff and preview our learning platform. We hope to see you there!