S.T.E.A.M. = S.T.E.M. + the Arts

What is STEM education?

The acronym STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. These are the subjects Samueli Academy emphasizes (not that we ignore the others!) in order to meet the growing demand of colleges and careers in these subjects, specifically as scientists, doctors, software developers and engineers, and more.

This approach to education is designed to revolutionize the teaching of subject areas such as mathematics and science by incorporating technology and engineering into the regular curriculum. STEM Education attempts to transform the typical teacher-centered classroom by encouraging a curriculum that is driven by problem-solving, discovery, and requires students to actively engage a situation in order to find its solution (see Samueli Academy’s Project Based Learning model).

science
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STEM + A = STEAM . . . WHY?

(Science, Technology, Engineering & Math + Arts)
  1. WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM, 2019

    “What skills will change most? Creativity will become one of the top three skills workers will need in 2020. With the avalanche of new products, new technologies and new ways of working, workers are going to have to become more creative in order to benefit from these changes.”

    Top 10 skills
    in 2020
    1. Complex Problem Solving
    2. Critical Thinking
    3. Creativity
    4. People Management
    5. Coordinating with Others
    6. Emotional Intelligence
    7. Judgment and Decision Making
    8. Service Orientation
    9. Negotiation
    10. Cognitive Flexibility
    in 2015
    1. Complex Problem Solving
    2. Coordinating with Others
    3. People Management
    4. Critical Thinking
    5. Negotiation
    6. Quality Control
    7. Service Orientation
    8. Judgment and Decision Making
    9. Active Listening
    10. Creativity
  2. OTIS REPORT ON THE CREATIVE ECONOMY, 2019

    In California alone, the Creative Economy provides:

    • 2.6 MILLION Creative Jobs
    • $604.9 BILLION in Total Creative Economy Output
    • $227.8 BILLION in Creative Income Earned
  3. WHY IS ARTS EDUCATION IMPORTANT FOR 21ST-CENTURY LEARNING?

    IHere are 5 critical skills students learn through an arts education:

    • Creativity
    • Collaboration
    • Confidence
    • Cultural Awareness & Empathy
    • Critical Thinking

    Incorporating the arts throughout the curriculum can boost student success. “From 2011 to 2014, the average improvement in math proficiency across our schools was 22.5 percent, and reading proficiency improved by 12.6 percent,” reports John Abodeely, deputy director of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Turnaround Arts Initiative.

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Samueli Academy's S.T.E.A.M. approach

All students benefit from the STEAM approach because it teaches independent innovation and allows students to explore greater depths of all of the subjects by utilizing the skills learned; these skills are going to be required in order for today’s students to be tomorrow’s global leaders. All jobs and colleges are requiring workers to have a greater ability to think critically, work as a member of a team and independently, and be creative.

Learn more about Samueli Academy’s Pathways:

Design Engineering

DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS OF
INNOVATION PATHWAY

In the 21st Century, the new design student must prepare to be a knowledge producer, a strategic researcher and creative collaborator, understand the workings of business and culture, and most importantly, develop a systems* perspective and broad understanding of design’s scale and place in the context of a global, technological, and economic world-view.

* A website is a system—think Amazon. The human body is a complex system. The packaging for an Apple Watch is one small part of a huge system that includes everything from an app to the Genius Bar, from a menu on my laptop to their new complex in Cupertino. A smart city is a hugely complex system.

THE DESIGN PATHWAY, TECHNOLOGY & BUSINESS OF INNOVATION . . .

at the Academy takes a human-centered design approach to these requirements and aims to expand the scope of traditional design to include four emphases:

  1. DESIGN SOCIAL - Collaborative design dedicated to improving society through critical, systems and participatory approaches as well as an understanding of ethics in practice.
  2. DESIGN ECONOMIES - Entrepreneurial design that enhances product and service innovation and that leads to value creation.
  3. DESIGN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT - Global focus with a goal to create sustainable futures.
  4. TECHNOLOGICAL - Human Focus with a goal to integrate and develop technologies to support and improve the quality, safety and privacy of lives.
OUR MISSION

A cross-disciplinary, customizable, project-based high school design program focused on service to humanity, entrepreneurship and professional skills development. This series of studio courses are designed to empower students to ask the right questions, critically analyze data, think creatively, and work collaboratively in order to apply systems-level design techniques to create culturally desirable, socially responsible and economically feasible solutions for the betterment of society. Students will be equipped with new capabilities as they are exposed to a depth and breadth of the different design disciplines, professional practice, and the tools and techniques of design that will position them for careers that do not yet exist.

We offer FOUR DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES with Santa Ana College on our Campus. These classes are UC/CSU transferable and satisfy the prerequisites for a Certificate and/or a degree in many of the design fields. These classes provide a WORK-BASED, DESIGN STUDIO EXPERIENCE with Real-World Clients such as the Anaheim Ducks, Vans, the Urban Land Institute, Hurley and a proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign).

In 2019, we will begin to implement our plans for a fully functioning, student-run design studio called Design Legion

Winners of the 2019 Anaheim Duck’s T-Shirt Competition with Mrs. Susan Samueli, their instructor, Patricia Vining & Wildwing: L to R Gilbert Negrete, Shelby Barillas and Kaylee Bliaya.

Design & Economics Seniors celebrate after presenting their Urban Plans to professional city planners, architects and real estate developers from the Urban Land Institute at Irvine City Hall.

Design students work with Van’s Creative Director, Sarah Turner on a new shoe line, social media campaign and 3D store windows.

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ENGINEERING PATHWAY

The Engineering Pathway at Samueli Academy has been developed in-house by engineers from industry and is taught by them. Students learn the Engineering Process through a series of Design-Build-Test projects that reflect the approach used in the real world. Whether students pursue a technical career or not, the problem-solving methodology will serve them throughout their lives. The Engineering Pathway classes are A-G approved.

MISSION

Provide an authentic engineering experience with a “working at learning” approach using project based learning and real world linkage encouraging students to engage, experiment, explore and engineer

VISION

Students confident in problem solving using the engineering process and skilled at communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.

ATTRIBUTES
  • AUTHENTIC

    Provides real world environment

  • INTEGRATED

    Horizontally integrated curriculum

  • LINKED

    Collaboration with industry & academia

  • ESSENTIAL

    Develops skills necessary for success

  • WIDE ARRAY

    Exposure to many technical disciplines & mfg

  • MEASUREMENT & SCALING

    Metric Measurement, Ratios & Scaling

  • CATAPULTS

    Mechanical Advantage, Efficiency, Fabrication

  • BRIDGES

    Truss Structures, Fabrication, Force Equilibrium

  • ELECTRICALLY POWERED VEHICLE

    Basic Electricity, Motors, Switches, Batteries, Fab

  • WIND POWERED GENERATOR

    Generators, Electrical Power, Propeller Pitch, Fab

  • TREBUCHET

    Layout, Building, Mechanical Advantage, Machine Efficiency; Design/Build/Test

  • DRAFTING

    Layout, Planning, Control, Attention To Detail, Drawing Standards

  • WRIGHT GLIDER

    Wright Brothers, Forces Of Flight, Lift/Drag Ratio

  • SOLIDWORKS COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN

    Cad Basics, 3d Printing

  • DESIGN CHALLENGES

    Problem Solving; Requirements & Constraints

  • basic electricity

    Circuit Analysis, Voltage Dividers

  • orange county maker challenge

    Invent, Design, Build, Test & Enter Product

  • design challenges

    Problem Solving; Requirements & Constraints

  • solidworks computer aided design

    Next level of detail, Solidworks Prep

  • computer science

    Fundamentals of computers & programming

  • reverse engineering

    Design basics & product analysis

  • precision measurement

    Use of micrometers and dial calipers

  • basic electricity

    Semiconductors, Rectifiers, Amplifiers

  • computer science

    Digital Logic, Binary Operations, Arduino Programming

  • MATERIALS ENGINEERING

    Overview, Physics, Job Outlook

  • VECTORS

    Intro To Vector Operations

  • METAL FAB

    Basic Cutting & Thread Tapping

  • FASTENERS

    Physics, Materials, Applications

  • MANUFACTURING

    Cnc Milling Machine

  • OVERVIEW

    What is a ROBOT? How are they impacting society?

  • SAFETY

    Proper behavior in a Shop environment; correct use of tools

  • BUILDING A BASIC ROBOT

    Students build a basic VEX V5 Claw-bot by following specific directions as they become familiar with the robot parts and tools. They program their robot and compete against other students in the “Swept Away” classroom robotics competition.

  • BUILDING A CUSTOM ROBOT

    Students analyze the game requirements for the current year’s VEX competition for high schools. They go through an extensive development process to build a custom robot to play the game. Mechanical, electrical and software engineering concepts are emphasized.

  • SURVEY OF ROBOTICS

    Students survey the robotics industry including medical, military, aerial, space, industrial, etc. applications of robotics.

  • solidworks computer aided design

    Next level of detail, Solidworks Prep

  • OVERVIEW

    What is a CAR? How has it impacted society?

  • SAFETY

    Proper behavior in a Shop environment; correct use of tools

  • TOOLS

    Learn what tools are used and how to use them

  • MAINTENANCE

    How to properly perform scheduled maintenance

  • INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

    How an engine works; detailed investigation of its subsystems: lubrication, cooling, electrical (ignition, starting, charging), intake, exhaust, fuel, emission control, computer control

  • POWERTRAIN

    What the powertrain consists of; how it works: transmissions, transaxles, axles

  • CHASSIS

    Investigation of the chassis and major subsystems: steering, braking, suspension, wheels/tires

  • BODY

    Automotive body and associated subsystems: HVAC, electronic devices

  • DESIGN, BUILD AND FLY A ROCKET

  • COMPETE IN THE TEAM AMERICA ROCKET COMPETITION! (TARC)!

  • LEARN FROM REAL “ROCKET SCIENTISTS”

Public Charter School for all students - no tuition fees. Take high school and college classes at the same time.