CSF’s High-Ability program, led by Bret Rhea, is empowering students in STEM in a big way. Serving K-12 high-ability students, the curriculum explores students’ interests beyond their regular coursework, particularly emphasizing STEM-related skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and conjecturing. Students benefit from unique learning opportunities, including field trips to learn from experts, hands-on science demonstrations and explorations, and an enrichment summer school program. For many students, one of the hallmarks of the program is the Lafayette Regional Science and Engineering Fair.
Every year, 5th-8th grade students (and the occasional FHS independent study student) enter the science fair with original projects they have been carefully cultivating for months. Rhea supports the students in developing a project thesis and guides them through each step of the scientific process as they execute their vision. CSF students have found a great deal of success at the Science Fair; multiple students have advanced in recent years to participate at the state and even international levels, including Karina Castaneda, who placed in the Top 20 in her category in the International Science Fair in May of 2021.
While the Science Fair is definitely an anchor point of the curriculum, kids K-12 take pride in the program and look forward eagerly to their next steps with Rhea. The program is proof that when CSF students are provided with resources, mentoring, and support, they can achieve a high level of success in a competitive context. Rhea feels that his program aims to equip students with the skills to succeed in academic and vocational challenges later in life – not to narrow down what they want to be someday but to open as many doors to them as possible, so they have the freedom to pursue any career they choose. If you want to see more of the High-Ability program (and keep up with their preparations for this year’s Science Fair coming up in March), check them out on Facebook at Frankfort High-Ability!
This article was written by Madeline Richardson and Bret Rhea