Derry Area alumnus proposes STEM pilot; board approves fall roundtable to plan program

David McElfresh, a 2021 graduate of Derry Area High School now headed to a PhD program, presented a proposal on Aug. 7 to make Derry a pilot site for a collaborative STEM partnership aimed at expanding hands‑on science experiences and pathways to STEM careers.

McElfresh described outreach to local colleges (Seton Hill, Saint Vincent, University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg) and regional STEM networks to provide campus visits, guest lectures, dual‑enrollment opportunities, internships and mentorships. He said the initiative would complement, not replace, classroom instruction and emphasized early, hands‑on exposure as a predictor of STEM persistence.

"Talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn't," McElfresh said, describing his path from local summer science camp to Yale and upcoming doctoral work at Princeton. He asked the board to support moving the idea forward in concept and to back a fall 2025 STEM roundtable of district leaders and prospective partners; he did not request funding at this stage.

A board member noted the district's recent adoption of an Amplify science curriculum for K–6 and said McElfresh’s plan “dovetails” with that work. The board moved to place McElfresh’s proposal on the agenda for formal action and then voted to support convening a 2025 fall STEM roundtable; the motion passed with no recorded opposition. The district solicitor/administrator said the roundtable posed no known issues for the district.

Superintendent and board members expressed support for McElfresh returning to work with students and for partnering with higher education; the board did not authorize any spending at the Aug. 7 meeting and asked staff to help organize the roundtable.

McElfresh said next steps would include co‑designing the pilot at the roundtable, identifying grants and mapping programming with teachers and partner institutions so that student‑facing programs could begin in winter or spring if planning proceeds.