Five Paulding County schools earn Cognia STEM certification; students showcase projects
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Summary
Paulding County honored five schools for earning Cognia STEM certification and highlighted student STEM projects and student character recognitions during the Oct. 21 Board work session.
Paulding County School District leaders on Oct. 21 recognized five schools for earning Cognia STEM certification and heard students describe classroom projects that applied science, technology, engineering and math to real problems.
The board meeting, held as a combined board work and recognition session, honored Burnt Hickory Elementary, McGarity Elementary, Shelton Elementary, Hiram High School’s Academy of Computer Science and Paulding County High School’s Academy of Science, Research and Medicine. Associate Superintendent Tiffany Frasier described the Cognia STEM certification as “an internationally recognized certification of excellence in STEM education” that requires classroom observations, evidence collection and alignment to Cognia’s ten standards.
The certification recognizes schools that embed problem‑based learning, interdisciplinary projects and community partnerships into everyday instruction, Frasier said. She credited the district STEM coordinator, Sarah Graham, school leaders and teachers for years of work to build a sustained STEM culture.
Students from elementary and high school programs described projects to the board. Reagan Hurst of McGarity Elementary said her class designed bridges and plant/animal cell dioramas, and explained that teams followed the same constraints but produced different designs. Sanvika Kandalam (Shelton Elementary) described using Tinkercad and 3‑D printing, building art bots and constructing a delicate model called the “impossible eagle.” Hiram High senior Ethan Guerrero described an egg‑protection project that taught him about energy and measurement; Paulding County High senior Kylie Sharp described a vermicomposting project that aims to improve soil health and reduce school food waste.
Frasier asked students how STEM projects had helped them apply learning to real-world problems; students gave specific, classroom‑based examples and explained how their work connected to potential careers and community needs.
The board presented banners to each of the five schools and conducted a short Q&A with students. Superintendent Barnett and Frasier emphasized the district’s goal of building a STEM continuum from elementary through high school to prepare students for college and careers.
The recognitions were part of a longer program of student awards that also included Character in Action and Fine Arts in Action recognitions from across the district.