Coeur d'Alene schools' Growing the STEM program builds student leaders

COEUR d'ALENE — Generating student excitement around science, technology, engineering and math is one of many aspects of the Growing the STEM nonprofit.

It's also a training ground for student coaches who learn how to foster positive relationships with other students, build leadership skills and be good role models for their younger counterparts.

"This is my favorite part of the program," Growing the STEM board member and student coach Addy Jacobson said Thursday evening during a Growing the STEM training session at Lake City High School.

"I remember when I was a kid, I loved having the older kids coming into my class," said Addy, a Lake City High senior. "You make a difference in these lives. You make a lasting impact."

More than 140 high school students are going through training to be student coaches for Growing the STEM, which offers free afterschool activities like STEM Club, Math is Cool and peer-to-peer tutoring through the Mathletes Mentor Program.

Growing the STEM’s mission is to serve under-represented students, as well as those who are already drawn to STEM fields.

Sophomore Payton Goodwin attended Thursday's training after hearing about Growing the STEM through one of her math teachers. She was eager to check it out.

"I love kids," she said. "I thought it would be a fun opportunity because I had come from a small Catholic school and didn't know many people here, so I was trying to get experience in high school and be more exposed to the clubs and things around me in my new environment."

Last year, Growing the STEM served over 900 kids in 43 programs in 14 public schools in the community. It has 11 student leaders from Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy, and Lake City and Coeur d'Alene high schools. Four of those leaders serve on the board of directors while three are school representatives focused on recruiting student coaches. Four are social chairs who plan events for coaches, such as game nights. 

Coeur d'Alene High senior Maddox Le serves as a student board member. This is his second year being involved with the program.

"I'm excited to do it again," Maddox said.

He said as his student coach peers also experience, he loves running into the young Growing the STEM participants when he is out and about.

"I'd be out to eat at dinner, and I would see somebody that I knew or a ton of them that I knew, and it's awesome," he said. "They run up to you and they recognize you."

He said it's also good to be involved in the community.

"I just think as a citizen, it's important," Maddox said.

Coeur d'Alene and Lake City each have teacher advisers who work with student leaders and coaches at their schools. Each school has official Growing the STEM clubs, providing more support to the coaches and creating community among them. 

Growing the STEM awards college scholarships to student coaches each year, at least one at each high school, based 100% on volunteerism and the amount they have volunteered in the programs.

Each school's club meets about different topics about once a month. Next month, Coeur d'Alene High's club will host a “Surviving and Thriving in High School” panel during which junior and senior coaches will offer advice and support to freshmen coaches. Other topics planned for the year include sessions on STEM career paths and managing college applications. 

Kristin Thomas, a Fernan STEM Academy teacher who serves as Growing the STEM's youth development chair, encouraged the new and returning student coaches to celebrate the positive, get on the same level and speak slowly so everyone can follow along.

"They're going to love you," she said. "You're going to be their heroes."

Info: growingthestem.org

    Coeur d'Alene High senior and Growing the STEM co-founder Adeline Smith provides guidance for her peers Thursday during a student coach training session.
  

    Maddox Le, a Coeur d'Alene High School senior and Growing the STEM board member, shares insight about being a student coach Thursday during a training session at Lake City High.
  

    Sophomore Payton Goodwin fills out some paperwork Thursday as she prepares to be a student coach through Growing the STEM, a nonprofit that offers free student-led activities and programming to generate excitement and build confidence around science, technology, engineering and math.