Cascades Academy partners with Central Oregon STEM Hub

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Cascades Academy, a local pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade independent school, and the Central Oregon STEM Hub are excited to bring together their organizations in an official community partnership.

The Central Oregon STEM Hub connects regional pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade education systems, higher education, community organizations, and business and industry partners to align, enhance, and catalyze new opportunities and exploration in science technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Through collaboration, the Central Oregon STEM Hub partners prepare students to be critical thinkers, career ready and college-bound students, and informed global citizens through integrated STEM opportunities in and out of the classroom.

Both organizations aim to mutually promote significant opportunities for students, families, educators, and the broader community to engage in STEM exploration and education. 

"I am so thrilled to begin our partnership with Central Oregon STEM Hub," said Julie Amberg, Head of School at Cascades Academy. 

"This partnership is in direct alignment with Cascades Academy's mission and strategic plan initiatives to expose students to relevant skills and experiential learning opportunities that prepare them for a diverse and changing world, partner with peer educators on pioneering educational initiatives, expand our presence in broader educational innovation activities, and explore offering Cascades Academy as a STEM hub for our local community," stated Amberg.

Cascades Academy aims to successfully prepare students for the years ahead of them through challenging academics and experiential learning. These experiences include approaching classes from a multidisciplinary approach where students are challenged to apply various skills and knowledge to solve real-world problems, providing opportunities for students to engage in growing fields and relevant skills, and exposing them to professional internships and unique hands-on educational opportunities that prepare them for future careers.

The integrated learning approach that the Central Oregon STEM hub offers will help the school work towards preparing students with twenty-first century skills and deepen their work in providing innovative educational opportunities to students, families, and the larger Central Oregon community. 

In addition to these efforts, Cascades Academy strives to intentionally expand the use of its makerspace, the IDEA Lab, into its existing school and summer camp curriculum and serve as a STEM hub for the local community. A partnership with the Central Oregon STEM Hub will help accelerate these goals set out by Cascades Academy and the goals of the STEM Hub by offering more opportunities for the community to engage in STEM education and STEM fields. 

About the Central Oregon STEM Hub

The Central Oregon STEM Hub is a partnership connecting regional pre K-12 education, higher education, industry, and community partners to catalyze opportunities and exploration in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). For questions or inquiries, please contact Tracy Willson-Scott, STEM Hub Coordinator.

About Cascades Academy

Cascades Academy is a pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade independent school located in Bend, Oregon that focuses on challenging academics through experiential learning. For questions or press inquiries, please contact Barb Cartmell, Director of Admission, at 541.382.0699 x132.