High School News and Updates (05/11/25)

Dear STEM Students and Parents,

This week marks a significant milestone as we celebrate our graduating seniors! Friday was their last day of classes, and we kicked off the celebrations with a hugely successful annual senior picnic, complete with a bouncy castle, yard games, and delicious food trucks. The fun continued into the evening with our annual Senior Lock-In, where Mrs. Myrick, Ms. Shapiro, Mr. Kerwin, Mr. Warnecke, Mr. Bragg, and I had the pleasure of spending the night in the gym with our amazing seniors. Both events provided valuable opportunities for students to connect, sign yearbooks, and enjoy one last time together as the Class of 2025.

The festivities continue this week with several special events:

• Monday, May 12th – 2nd Annual Enrichment Awards Night (Invite Only): This special evening recognizes K-12 students for their participation and achievements in our various clubs and activities throughout the year.
• Tuesday, May 13th – High School Athletics Awards (Invite Only): We will celebrate the accomplishments of our high school athletes who have been selected for an award. Invitations have been sent to these students.
• Wednesday, May 14th:
  • 3:00 PM – Graduation Practice (Secondary Gym – Mandatory for all Seniors): Please ensure all seniors attend this important practice, which will start promptly.
  • 6:00 PM – Senior Honor Night (Invite Only): We look forward to honoring our graduating seniors and their achievements at this special event.

Looking ahead, we will culminate our celebrations with Graduation on Monday, May 19th at 10:00 AM at Echo Park. We anticipate a wonderful day (fingers crossed for good weather!) filled with reflections on the past and inspiring words for the future. The Class of 2025 is an incredibly accomplished group, and I am immensely proud to have witnessed their growth over the past four years. Congratulations, Class of 2025! You are truly an amazing group of students and deserve all the recognition you will receive.

These wonderful celebrations would not be possible without the dedication of an exceptional team. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Dan Kerwin and our Student Government students for their fantastic work in planning the Senior Picnic – it was a memorable way for our seniors to celebrate their final day of K-12 schooling. I also want to thank Kelli Myrick and our high school counseling team for their tireless efforts in organizing Senior Honor Night and Graduation. Your hard work and countless hours are deeply appreciated!

Our graduates are well-prepared for the next chapter, having worked diligently to achieve their accomplishments. However, their success is also a testament to the incredible network of support they’ve had along the way. While it’s impossible to thank everyone individually, I want to express our sincere appreciation to our business partners for their ongoing support in preparing our students for their futures.

Thank you to all of our club sponsors and athletic coaches for the invaluable time and dedication you have invested in our students. Your mentorship, guidance in exploring their passions, and the life lessons you’ve imparted will have a lasting impact. We are incredibly grateful for your commitment.

A heartfelt thank you to our entire STEM Staff for the profound impact you have had on our students, from their early years in elementary school through their high school journey. Whether through your engaging lessons, nourishing lunches, a welcoming environment, or a simple smile, each of you has played a significant role in their lives. STEM has become a second home to many, and that is a direct result of your care and dedication.

On a personal note, the Class of 2025 holds a special place for me as they were my first freshman class when I joined STEM. It has been a true privilege to watch them mature into the remarkable graduates they are today. I have also cherished the opportunity to connect with all of you parents over the years as your children have excelled. I will be announcing this at graduation practice, but I wanted to share with you now that I will unfortunately be unable to attend our graduation ceremony this year. As a parent myself, my oldest daughter is graduating from law school at the same time. While I typically take a moment at graduation to express my gratitude to you all, I want to do so now. To all the parents, step-parents, guardians, and family members: THANK YOU! Raising children in today’s world is no easy feat, and our amazing students are a direct reflection of the loving and supportive homes they come from. Thank you for choosing STEM for your student’s education. It has been an honor and a privilege to be a part of their journey.

As we celebrate our seniors’ departure, we also eagerly look to the future and the continued growth and innovation for the Class of 2026 and beyond. The Class of 2025 has established many new traditions, and we are excited to see what the Class of 2026 will create. As a staff, we remain committed to innovating and offering new courses and pathways to meet our students’ evolving needs and provide opportunities for them to explore their passions. It is indeed an exciting time to be a STEM Spartan!

With only two weeks of school remaining, I want to close by reminding all our students to prioritize safety during the upcoming summer break. Please have fun, but always make wise decisions. I look forward to welcoming you back in the fall!

Sincerely,

Ryan Alsup

High School Director

STEM School Highlands Ranch

Go Class of 2025!

The Aerospace States Association and Colorado Space Business Roundtable Aerospace Summer Internship Program is currently accepting applications for their summer program.
This is an unpaid internship program for anyone interested in aerospace. Though aerospace is STEM oriented, there are opportunities in many career fields including business, program management, procurement, human resources, communications, legal, and others.

The Internship Program runs for two weeks total. There is a virtual week with students from multiple states participating, followed by an in-person week in Colorado During the program, students will have the opportunity to engage with aerospace industry businesses, university programs, and nonprofits, learning about the opportunities and challenges facing the industry and gaining valuable hands-on experience. Please see the website for more information and to apply.

Join Higher Orbits for an exhilarating two-day event in Denver, CO, where aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts in grades 8-12 will have a unique opportunity to dive into the world of space exploration. The event will be at the Colorado Air & Space Port in Watkins, Colorado on April 26th and 27th.

CU Anschutz Modern Humanity Program has two summer camps for rising 9th through 12th grade this summer. Brain camp will explore the structure and function of the human nervous system. The Anatomy & Medical Careers camp will focus on medical career paths while learning the structure and functions of the human body. For more information, see the attached flyer.

Horrocks Engineering has invited STEM students to assist in creating an interactive project geared for the Transportation & Construction GIRL Day held in September each year. They are currently looking for two students to assist them engineer a project for the event. There will be initial meetings in April/ May, with the bulk of the project being completed in August/ September. This will be a great opportunity to learn from and network with engineers in the field! For more information, please reach out to Nicole Ryan at nicole.ryan@stemk12.org.

Exciting News!! Burns & McDonnell is hosting a Summer in person mentorship opportunity and a Spring virtual job shadow day for high school students. Students will have the opportunity to learn about real-world engineering projects and field experiences. Burns & McDonnell is an international engineering, architecture and construction firm with offices in Denver.

If you would like to apply for the Denver Mentorship Opportunity being held this summer, please apply using the attached flyer. What an exciting opportunity to learn from experts in the field.

If you are interested in applying for the virtual job shadow on April 28th, please reach out to Nicole Ryan to submit an application.

Are you passionate about IT? Ready to learn some new skills this summer? If so, TeamLogic IT is currently looking for a dedicated summer intern passionate about technology and eager to gain real-world experience. TeamLogic IT is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) specializing in delivering IT solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Ms. Ryan at nicole.ryan@stemk12.org.

Applications are now being accepted for the Transportation & Construction GIRL Career Week. Career Week for GIRLs is a FREE summer camp that gives young women (ages 13-23) the chance to explore high-paying careers in construction, transportation, and other industries. Over the course of one week, participants will gain hands-on experience, visit top companies, and connect with women professionals in these fields. For more information and to apply, please see the attached flyer.

The Habitat Denver Summer Internship program is an opportunity for high school students to gain valuable skills, learn about affordable housing issues, and make a difference by serving in a Habitat Denver ReStore one shift a week over the course of the summer. For more information and to apply, please see the attached flyer. You can also sign up for an information session here: https://vhub.at/syp

Dear STEM Families,

We are dedicated to maintaining a safe environment for our students and staff. Safety is our number one priority and is a layered approach. One of the measures is to ensure that all students, staff, and visitors are identifiable on campus. Student IDs also alert office staff to who has off-campus permissions and allow students to quickly check in and out using our automated system. We ask for your continued support in ensuring your child is wearing an ID to school each day.

As time goes on, we understand that students will misplace their IDs and lanyards. We ordered another shipment of lanyards and ID holders, but our students are going through them pretty quickly.

After Fall Break, students will be charged $5 for replacements. This charge will run through their Myschoolbucks account. Please monitor the account and speak to your child about these charges if they occur.

Spartmart is looking into purchasing nicer, higher quality lanyards to sell as well and you may also purchase lanyards online.

Finally, because IDs are part of our dress code, if a student is not wearing an ID and does not have a temporary ID, they may be assigned a detention. Students have been made aware of this expectation.

Once again, we really appreciate your support. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to one of our building directors.

In partnership,

The STEM Admin Team

Our Math Society students are volunteering to assist with math homework during access periods (11-11:40 a.m.) on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Help will be available in both the Middle School and High School commons. Students who need support or want to catch up on homework should feel free to take advantage of this opportunity. Students should contact either their math teacher or access teacher to add their name to the list for help.