Esperanza Academy offers 12 majors to their high school students. These majors allow students to customize their learning to their interests and begin to develop and explore the skills that they may need for their future career. One of those majors aligns with the current trending growth in the STEM workplace, the engineering major.
Mr. Curtis Roberts has taken the lead on the engineering major, developing it into three sections that allow for students to learn the principles of engineering, computer science, and then apply the systems of engineering to real life experiences and projects. Mr. Roberts remarks that, “Physics helps students understand how and why things move, and engineering allows students to explore how we can use physics to build something fun. With the Major Program at Esperanza, students can learn about physics and engineering over a period of three years, allowing for in-depth investigation into both.”
The academy developed a mini documentary about the major following the stories of three engineering students. View the documentary below.
Some of the projects that students have worked on is creating functional furniture (like a mitre saw bench or work station), creating the Rube Goldberg Machine (a system of machines that create a domino effect), catapults, small race car tracks, 5 ft. bridges, and much more! The program is exceptional for giving students the tools they need to put their knowledge to practice and preparing them for a rigorous major in college.
New this year, Mr. Roberts launched Trades Engineering, which is a class focused on trade careers like being an electrician, carpenter, mechanic, etc. Adding this class is useful to meeting students at their individual interests and preparing them for careers that may be unique from a path in college. Both tracks, through either the trades or a university engineering degree, are great options for students to use their skills, contribute to society, and find a purposeful career path!
