My STEM Perspective ~ Chris Byrnes
So, I'm sure some of you have read Jake's STEM blog post for this month and how the Biomed field doesn't count as 21st-century learning skills. Now, I'm not writing this to challenge Jake's view of making Biomed a 21-century-learning skill. In fact, I support his view on it. However, I'm here to offer my view on STEM as a whole and my relationship to the STEM Academy. I didn't get in. Yes, the STEM program, in essence, rejected me because I was 3 points short and 1 point short of an appeal process. I remember, back in 8th grade, receiving the STEM letter in the mail, opening it up with anxiety yet also hope. The second I saw that I didn't get in, I started to BOIL with anger. In fact, I threw the paper and kicked it. Childish on my part, yes indeed, but, at the time, I viewed STEM as the only route to success. As for Matt and Joe? They both got in. This made me even more furious. Time to cue all the bullying. To this day, I am still bashed by all ...