Program earns recognition from National Academy Foundation
The National Academy Foundation has recognized Northridge High School STEM Academy as a distinguished academy for the 2019-20 school year.
The highly competitive distinction recognizes that students in the Northridge STEM Academy are college and career ready, and that the academy mirrors the demographics of the school in the categories of ethnicity, gender, English language learners and students who qualify for free and reduced meals, according to a news release from Greeley-Evans School District 6.
One-hundred percent of the academy’s rising seniors participated in paid internships. Northridge far exceeds the NAF expectations in all areas.
“Our staff and students have worked incredibly hard to reach this level of honor by NAF,” Northridge principal Insoon Olson said. “Due to all of our efforts and over 300 outstanding students, we have met the requirements of Distinguished Level and will continue to focus our efforts in providing a quality academic program with real-world experiences to apply their skills. I am incredibly proud of our Grizzlies and all that they have accomplished by engaging within their choice pathway in our STEM Academy.”
The STEM program began at Northridge High School in 2006, with an emphasis on math and science. In 2012-13, the school opened the Academy of Engineering and the Academy of Math and Science. The Academy of Information Technology was established in 2015-16. In 2018-19, all of the academies were restructured into the STEM academy.
In 2014-15, 143 students participated in one or more of the two academies. This year, 242 students are enrolled in the NAF STEM Academy.
Northridge officially received this honor during the NAFNext 2020 Annual Academy Conference this summer.
The National Academy Foundation is a national network of education, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure high school students are college, career, and future ready, according to the foundation website www.naf.org.