STEM – Academics – St. Bernard College Preparatory

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. We focus on these areas together not only because the skills and knowledge in each discipline are essential for student success, but also because these fields are deeply intertwined in the real world and in the ways that students learn most effectively. STEM is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that is coupled with hands-on, problem-based learning.

Nestled between Silicon beach and the Aerospace industry, St. Bernard High School continuously seeks partnership opportunities with local hi-tech and engineering companies to provide more opportunities for Viking students. We have been fortunate to be able to partner with Aerojet Rocketdyne, The Aerospace Corporation, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, Raytheon, Microsoft, and more.

Goals of STEM at SBHS

Through our STEM program, we strive to inspire our students to:

DISCOVER their Passion
- We stimulate interest in STEM by constantly challenging girls and boys uniquely through research based teaching practices.
GROW in Confidence
- We foster confidence and self-esteem in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics areas through care and collaboration, as well as through activity and competition.
ENGAGE in Real-world Opportunities
- We offer real world co-ed opportunities through mentoring programs and partnerships with local STEM organizations. (Aerospace, Boeing, Raytheon, YouTube, Northrop Grumman, and Google are just some of our neighbors!)
LEAD into their Career
- We work to prepare more women, men, and minority students to successfully pursue STEM majors in college and beyond in order to improve America’s ability to compete in the global economy. We aim to create a pipeline for well-prepared and confident STEM majors from high school to college.

STEM Program Features

Engineering and Robotics Team

- Our Engineering and Robotics Team has a designated robotics studio, where they can run tests and practice engineering challenges. Guided by a moderator with a degree in engineering and a background at NASA, the Robotics program offers students real-life opportunities and rigor in a fun atmosphere that will aid them in their future vocations, build their resumes, and gain an advantage when applying to highly competitive colleges and universities.

Aerospace STEM Summit
- In this annual event, 30-40 St. Bernard High School students are nominated to mentor 80-100 middle school students as they complete an engineering challenge. The students design and test their projects under the guidance of employees from The Aerospace Corporation.
- Projects have included balsa wood bridge building, and converting sound waves to light waves to play music via a laser beam.

STEM Speaker Series
- Speakers have included individuals from the following organizations: Heal the Bay, Air Force, The Aerospace Corporation, California Science Center, Ernst and Young Cybersecurity, and more.

Field Trips
- Students have had the opportunity to tour many local businesses and natural spaces including The Aerospace Corporation, Northrop Grumman, and Hyperion Water Treatment Plan. Students have also had the opportunity to attend and participate in a Creative Coding Festival at UCLA.
Marine Biology Lab with 8 aquariums
Chilton Fellowship Program
- A cohort of students are mentored by alumnus General Kevin Chilton '72 and Maj. General Catherine Chilton through a yearly leadership retreat, college visits, and ongoing communication.
- General Chilton has served in a variety of positions in his 35 year long career in the US Air Force, however, one of his most exciting deployments was outer space! A veteran of three space flights during 11 years at NASA, he was the pilot for the maiden voyage of the shuttle Endeavour.

Technology at SBHS

As the only Catholic high school on Silicon Beach, we have a commitment to helping our students not only to be prepared for the technology they will encounter in college, but to learn the skills necessary to compete in the global economy. Students use the same technology used by industry professionals to put their math and science lessons into motion, adding a tangible element to their learning. Students are able to put their hypotheses to the test and gain immediate results, helping them to design and build working solutions.

Features of our technology plan include:

MakerSpace
Three 3D printers
Ten 75" Interactive Displays with built in WIFI and touch screen capabilities
Chromebooks
iPads
Computer Lab
Projectors in every room
Google Apps for Education (G Suite)
Google Classroom
Aeries for Grades
300 mbs/second internet speed

MakerSpace