Featuring Mark Hutcheson, High School Director of Teaching and Learning, Director of Venture Academics, Linn-Mar Community School District
Venture is a Linn-Mar High School STEM BEST Program that focuses on hands on, career-linked learning and application.
Community engagement is a key component of the Venture experience. Students travel offsite to various locations and businesses. Professionals come into the Venture space to work with students.
In the inaugural semester of the Venture Academics program, 56 students took part in the program. A few highlights stood out:
- Behavioral Science, Life Science, Earth Science strands used the STEM-Innovator (Jacobson Institute, University of Iowa) program to gain experience with and learn innovation and project design principles.
- 22 of 26 (Venture Sciences) students tested and earned 3 University of Iowa STEM-Innovator college credits through portfolio and proficiency assessment.
- 8 students’ scores placed in the Top 10% in the Nation.
- 1 freshmen students’ scores placed in the Top 1% in the Nation.
- Business Foundations
- 11 students created product prototypes and developed marketing materials in collaboration with local industries.
- Civics
- 7 students wrote legislation in collaboration with Liz Mathis and Sam Pritchard (District Director for Congresswoman Ashley Hinson). Civics students were also coached by 2 local attorneys and competed in a Mock Trial experience at the Linn-County Courthouse.
- Digital Design
- 10 students designed artwork and promotional graphics for local businesses and in-house messaging.
- 2 students were offered and accepted internships in digital design at metro businesses.
- English (ELA standards are intentionally embedded in strand work and taught by certified English teachers)
- 1 Freshman student was a Top 200 Finalist (over 11,000 submissions) in the New York Times Personal Narrative Essay Contest through a Venture writing project.
- ELA-work enhanced student communication skills and supported every success listed above.
- ALL Students gained real-world knowledge and skill, met high school learning standards, earned significant high school credit, and gained valuable life experience through Venture’s authentic, hands-on learning.
To date, over 50 interactions have been had with community partners including tours of various businesses and organizations, classroom speakers, and professionals serving as project advisors. We have also been fortunate to be able to incorporate professionals who are Linn-Mar Alumni.
Venture students will receive a total of 20 credits for a semester. Students will complete 3-4 courses simultaneously in a 3-hour super block in either the morning or afternoon.
Most Venture strands earn students 5 speech/communications credits required for graduation.
At the close of the 2021-2022 school year, Venture will have served 94 students. Linn-Mar High School began registering students for next school year around February 1st and early Venture registration numbers project a final registration count of 230 students for 2022-2023.
We greatly appreciate the support of the Governor’s STEM BEST program to make it possible for us to get Venture up and running.