When the school year begins again in August, Trask Middle School will have a new curriculum to offer its students.

The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce announced Thursday that its Cape Fear Future initiative will fund a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program for the school. The program comes from an Indianapolis-based company called Project Lead the Way, the nation’s largest provider of STEM curricula for middle and high schools, according to a release.

Shallotte Middle School in Brunswick County has also implemented a STEM program from Project Lead the Way.

Trask will use the company’s Gateway to Technology (GTT) program, which introduces students to such subjects as engineering, robotics, computer modeling and energy in an interactive way, the release stated. According to the release, GTT courses are often used as electives or as part of the school’s core science and math curricula, allowing students the opportunity to apply what they are learning in traditional math and science classes to hands-on problems and projects.

The program will cost between $35,000 and $50,000, said Connie Majure-Rhett, president and CEO of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. Funds to purchase and implement the program will come from monies that the Cape Fear Future initiative raised.

“Project Lead the Way has a long history of successfully engaging students in STEM subjects,” Cape Fear Future education team leader John Gizdic said in the release, adding that the program fits into the mission of the chamber’s Cape Fear Future initiative.

Cape Fear Future’s mission statement says the effort aims “to further develop the region’s knowledge sector economy to promote economic development and ensure the prosperity of the region.”

“Having the business community partner with the school system is important to improving our region, and we believe our businesses will see the benefits of Project Lead the Way as the pool of highly-skilled workers increases,” Gizdic said.

Trask was chosen for the program because one of its teachers, Charles “Chuck” Leake, already has adopted a STEM focus in his classroom and is enthusiastic about leading the school in adopting the new curriculum, Majure-Rhett said.
“Trask is ready to go,” she said.

Leake will train with Project Lead the Way this summer, becoming the first teacher in the New Hanover County Schools certified to teach the courses, according to the release. After completing his coursework at the University of South Carolina, he will train other Trask faculty members, Majure-Rhett said.

According to the release, another benefit of Project Lead the Way is the network of Fortune 500 companies, state leaders and university affiliations it brings to the school. This network links students with opportunities for college credit, scholarships and admissions preferences. Trask will form its own Project Lead the Way partnership team by recruiting local business and industry professionals to mentor students and share their career experiences, the release stated.

“We are excited about what Chuck’s classroom will be transformed into next year,” New Hanover County Schools superintendent Tim Markley said in the release. “We’re going to start [Project Lead the Way] with sixth grade and build it up to eighth grade. We are truly excited about the prospects and appreciate the help of the chamber in getting us started.”