Steele High highlights student honors, launches CERB service class and expands robotics program with $1.6 million in equipment

Steele High School staff told the Amherst Exempted Village Schools Board of Education that the school will mark a packed spring calendar of senior and schoolwide events, introduce a new service-learning elective for seniors and significantly expand its industrial robotics and advanced manufacturing pathway.

Principal-level staff member Gilliam outlined May events including an armed-forces recognition on May 2 and the senior awards banquet on May 6, and noted the school has 278 seniors scheduled to graduate. He also recognized Aiden Workman, who Gilliam described as “a national merit finalist” and currently ranked first in his class.

Janine New and Nikki Weaver, English teachers at Steele, described a new senior-only course the teachers called CERB, which Weaver said “stands for students engaged in responsible volunteering in education.” The class will meet the last two periods of the day and combine an English 12 credit, civic-engagement elective credit and community placements on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Weaver said placements will include Main Street Air Force, Neighborhood Alliance and several Lorain County nonprofits; students will perform activities ranging from building beds for children to organizing county events. She said students in CERB “can earn three points towards an industry-recognized credential” and may apply for grants to fund service-learning projects.

The most detailed presentation described Steele’s industrial robotics and advanced manufacturing pathway. The program instructor (identified in the transcript as “Mr. A”) said the district purchased about $1,600,000 in equipment for the program and that roughly $610,000 of that equipment is arriving in crates from Georgia. He showed robotic controllers and vision cameras already in use and said students can earn industry credentials tied to vendors including Rockwell/Allen Bradley and (as described in the presentation) a “Fan” credential. The instructor said the pathway currently offers four classes, students can earn up to nine industry credentials, and each credential would cost about $2,000 if taken outside the district.

Numbers provided in the presentation: since the pathway started in January 2024, 38 students have earned industry credentials, and 84 students are enrolled for the 2025–26 school year. The instructor said the district expects a state reimbursement of about $7,700 related to 14 students who took credentials this year and that TechNet provided $2,600 for online learning. He also said the district had submitted an additional request for $80,000 to buy more robot “end-of-arm” tools.

Students who have taken the robotics classes described hands-on benefits. Senior Charlie Nicholas said he enrolled after a friend recommended the course and that he applied to study robotics at Miami University; sophomore McKenna Bosworth said the classes “made me a better student” by improving problem-solving skills.

The presentation included industry and community partnerships — the instructor said some equipment vendors may bring employee training to the district and that the Lorain County Partnership will sponsor a pre-apprenticeship program next year. The instructors and students also noted employer interest: the presenter said an Avon company, described in the presentation as Rebuild Manufacturing CDI, invited students back to apply for internships.

Board members praised staff and students and asked follow-up questions during the presentation. No formal board action was taken on the classroom, credentialing or equipment items during the meeting; the board was updated on enrollment and funding requests and was told additional funding requests had been submitted to district leadership.