Visit for updates on after-school Enrichment programs including new program registrations and club news. As always, please check the Enrichment Calendar on the https://stemk12.org website for the most up-to-date information on event locations, cancellations, and time updates.
Please Consider Donating to STEM’s Enrichment Programs
Donations will enable Enrichment to provide much-needed program scholarships for STEM families in need of financial assistance, update equipment, like Spike Prime kits for our First LEGO League, and offset expenses for our low to no-fee clubs and activities, like Battle of the Books and Craft Club. Click the button below to donate to STEM Enrichment today!
Summer with STEM School
Registrations are now open for a few of the summer camps at STEM and our club partner facilities, including Camp Invention, PALS Chess Camp and Fencing Camp (Fencing & Jedi Training).
4th Quarter Enrichment Club Registrations Opening Soon
The final sessions of the Chess Clubs, Craft Clubs and Fencing Club will start after Spring Break. Registration will open up on Friday, February 23rd.
Elementary Enrichment News
STEM School’s Battle of the Books Grades 3/4 Team the Highlands Ranch Champions!
After a well-fought battle for the Douglas County Library District Champions Cup in the Battle of the Books competition, STEM’s 3rd and 4th grade Spartans missed winning it all by one single question. Our students carried themselves through this competition season with poise and deep knowledge of the books from the library’s list to earn them the Douglas County Library’s 2024 Battle of the Books Highlands Ranch Champions Cup trophy on March 4th and 2nd place overall at the district competition on March 13th after beating Acres Green Elementary in the semifinals.
For the final round, our Spartans faced DCS Montessori. Both teams answered nine of their 10 questions correctly, partly because Akaash A. bravely raised his hand to challenge the referee’s ruling that they had given their first wrong answer of the evening. Once given the book to cite the evidence for his challenge, Akaash quickly found the quote that supported his claim. The referees accepted the challenge, threw out the question, and allowed the Spartans to answer a replacement question.
In the end, it took 11 tie-breaker questions to bring the competition to a close. Please join me in congratulating 3rd-grade students Miya P., Shivank M., Vihani K., and 4th-grade students Aiden F., Akaash A., Anumitha B., Sohum S. along with the fabulous Mrs. Gusich in their record-setting season.
Club Registrations
Several spring elementary enrichment registrations are now open including chess, crafts, fencing, hip hop, poms & cheer, theater production and yoga. Opening after the break: Girls Who Code (grades 3-5) on Tuesdays starting in late January.
Program | Meets | Duration | Time | Grade | Registration/Related Links |
Battle of the Books – Practice dates | Thursdays | 12/7/23-TBD | 2:55-3:30 | 3-6 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Chess Club 3rd Quarter Monday Only – NEW | Mondays | 3/25-5/13/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | 4th Quarter Registration |
Chess Club 3rd Quarter Thursday Only – NEW | Thursdays | 3/28-5/16/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | 4th Quarter Registration |
Choir Audition Submission 4th – 5th Grade only | Thursdays | 2/1-5/9/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | 4-5 | Contact erin.casab@https://stemk12.org |
Craft Club Kindergarten – 1st Grade NEW | Wednesdays | 3/27-5/8/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-1 | 4th Quarter Registration |
Craft Club 2nd – 3rd Grade NEW | Wednesdays | 3/27-5/8/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | 2-3 | 4th Quarter Registration |
Craft Club 4th – 5th Grade NEW | Wednesdays | 3/27-5/8/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | 4-5 | 4th Quarter Registration |
Fencing – 4th Quarter NEW | Wednesdays | 3/27-5/15/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | Register |
Girls Who Code | Tuesdays | 1/30/24-4/30/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | 3-5 | Register |
Hip Hop (age 5.5 or older) | Fridays | 1/19-4/19/2024 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | Registration Open |
Poms & Cheer Club (age 5.5 or older) | Mondays | 1/22-4/15/2024 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | Registration Open |
Scratch Coding | Thursdays | 2/8-5/16/24 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | Register |
Theater – (age 5.5 or older) | Wednesdays | 1/24-4/17/2024 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | Registration Closed |
Yoga (age 5.5 or older) | Thursdays | 1/25-4/18/2024 | 2:35 – 3:30 PM | K-5 | Registration Open |
Secondary Enrichment News
In the Dark About What’s Happening With a Club?
Join Canvas as an observer of your student! Many of the after school activities have an associated Canvas course where advisors post important information.
MathCounts – STEM School Students Compete for State Championship
Our middle school MathCounts team is participating in MathCounts State Championship on Saturday, March 16th at Strum Hall on the University of Denver campus. Best of luck! GO SPARTANS!
ULA Student Rocket Payload Competition is BACK!
The ULA Student Rocket Payload class is back again for 2024! For more information about the program itself. Mr. Jeff Dunker, a retired ULA engineer, and Mr. Jeff McLain, who is currently working with ULA, will mentor STEM students through the concept, design, build, and launch of the payload. Classes will start Monday, March 25th, in high school room 132 and continue to meet on Mondays after school. The payload launch happens in July. Registration is officially open. Scholarships are available for families in need of financial assistance.
TSA National Conference Virtual Parent/Student Interest Meeting – Thursday, March 28th
Check the TSA After School Canvas course for details and a link following Spring Break. TSA’s national conference will be held in Orlando, Florida, June 26 -30, 2024. During the interest meeting, we will cover details regarding state-advisor-approved qualifying events as well as chapter-submission events, estimated costs, travel and accommodation options, summer lab schedule, and important dates. Special guests, TSA National President and STEM School Senior David Marquez will be on hand to share with students and parents what makes participating in the national conference so special.
Science Olympiad – STEM Blue & Gold Teams Qualified for State Championships
The two STEM School Highland Ranch Science Olympiad teams competed in the Regional tournament on Saturday at CSU Pueblo. The Gold team placed 4th, and the Blue team placed 6th. Both teams qualified to attend the state tournament at UCCS in Colorado Springs on April 6. Both teams competed in 23 different events, including academic and building events. We medalled in many of the events. The two Regional trophies will be added to the trophy case in the Middle School athletic commons. Thank you to Ms. Dwyer and Ms. Hart for serving as excellent coaches!
FRC Team IMPULSE #4418 – Green County Regional Competition, Tulsa, OK
Congratulations to FRC Team 4418 Impulse for qualifying in the playoffs and ranking 17th in the Green Country Regional with their robot Bronto. Please help them prepare for their Colorado Regional from March 21st to 23rd at the University Denver Magness Arena. Admission is free and open to anyone, so please show your support by coming out to see all of the Colorado FIRST Teams. Check out the images from the competition. Thanks again for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the Colorado Regional.
Middle School Registrations
Program | Meets | Duration | Time | Grade | Registration/Related Links |
Battle of the Books – Practice dates | Thursdays | 12/7/23-TBD | 2:55-3:35 | 3-6 | Must be selected for teams to receive registration. |
BEST Robotics | Mon/Fri/Sat | 9/8/23-12/17/23 | Varies | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Brain Bowl | Tue/Thurs | 8/22/23-TBD | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Broadcasting Club | Thursdays | 9/14/23-5/9/24 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 6-8 | Register |
Chess Club | Wednesdays | 9/13/23-5/15/24 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Register |
Cubing (Rubik’s) Club | Thursdays | 8/24/23 – TBD | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 6-12 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
CyberPatriot | Fridays | 9/1-TBD | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Dungeons and Dragons Club | Thursdays | 1/11 – 5/16 | 3:00 – 4:30 PM | 6-8 | Register |
Game Master Training | Tuesdays | Varies | 3:00. – 3:45 | 6-12 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Girls’ Persist | Wednesdays | 9/6/23-5/9/24 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Magic the Gathering Club | Tuesdays | 8/22/23-5/9/24 | 3:00 – 4:45 PM | 6-8 | Register |
MathCounts | Thursdays | 8/24/23-5/9/24 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Project 7 Bible Club | Fridays | 9/15/23-5/17/24 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 6-8 | Register |
Science Olympiad | Thursdays | 11/16/23-4/11/24 | 3:00 – 4:30 PM | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Star Wars Club | Fridays | 8/7/23-5/9/24 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Register |
SteMed Jr. | Thursdays | 8/24-12/14/23 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Theater Production – Addams Family Cast/Crew | Mon/Wed | 1/29-5/5/24 | 3:00 – 5:30 | 6-12 | Register |
TSA Club (After School Only) | Tuesdays | 9/5/23-TBD | 3:00 – 4:30 PM | 6-8 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
TSA National Conference Student Participant | Thur-Sat | 2/22-2/24/24 | All Day | 6-12 | Payment & Permission Form Coming Soon |
ULA Student Rocket Payload Class – NEW | Mondays | March – July 2024 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Register |
High School Registrations
Program | Meets | Grade | Registration/Related Links | ||
BEST Robotics | Fri/Sat | 9/8/23-TBD | Varies | 9-12 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
Business Clubs – DECA/FBLA/SpartMart | Wednesdays | 9/6/23-3/20/24 | 7:00 – 7:45 AM | 9-12 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2025 |
Chess Club | Wednesdays | 9/13/23-5/15/24 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Register |
Cubing (Rubik’s) Club | Thursdays | 8/24/23 – TBD | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 6-12 | Registration Coming Soon |
CyberPatriot | Fridays | 9/1-TBD | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Closed to new partcipants for 2023/2024 |
First Robotics Club (FRC) | Tuesdays | Year Round | 6:00 – 9:00 PM | 9-12 | Register |
Flight Club | Monday/Friday | Jan – May | 3:00 – 4:30 PM | 9-12 | Register |
Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA | – | – | – | 9-12 | For more information contact michelle.wesley@https://stemk12.org |
Ornithology Club | Wed/Sat | 8/23/23-5/17/23 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM (Wed) | 9-12 | Register |
Project 7 Bible Club | Fridays | 9/15/23-5/17/24 | 3:00 – 3:45 PM | 9-12 | Register |
Star Wars Club | Thursdays | 8/7/23-5/9/24 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Register |
SteMed | Thursdays | 8/24-12/14/23 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 9-12 | Register |
Theater Production – Addams Family Cast/Crew | Mon/Wed | 1/29-5/5/24 | 3:00 – 5:30 | 6-12 | Register |
TSA | Wednesdays | 9/6/23-TBD | 3:00 5:00 PM | 9-12 | Register |
TSA State Conference Student Participant | Thur-Sat | 2/22-2/24/24 | All Day | 6-12 | Payment & Permission Form |
ULA Student Rocket Payload Class – NEW | Mondays | March – July 2024 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 6-12 | Register |
UNICEF Chapter | Tuesdays | 8/22/23-5/14/24 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM | 9-12 | Register |
Summer Camps
Program / Location | Starts | Completes | Drop-off / Pick-up | Grade | Registration/Related Links |
Camp Invention / STEM | 6/3/2024 | 6/7/2024 | 9:00 AM / 3:00 PM | K-6 | Register |
Chess Camp / STEM Secondary | 6/17/2024 | 6/21/2024 | 8:00 AM / 3:00 PM | K-12 | Register |
Fencing Camp / Littleton & Parker | Varies | Varies | Varies | K-12 | Register / Flyer / Description |
Girls’ Persist 30-day Camp / STEM Secondary | 6/3/2024 | 6/28/2024 | 9:00 AM / 12:00 PM | 5-12 | Register / Flyer |