By Isabelle Lounsberry
The Advanced Engineering Applications Magnet, AEA for short, is a program designed to be an introduction to engineering in both a customary sense and a non-traditional sense. The Magnet program is a tool to help students in varying fields of study, allowing students to explore and find what best suits them. In cooperation with Project Lead the Way– a non-profit organization designed to encourage STEM majors– Apopka’s program has become one of the most notable in the state of Florida.
Trophy shelves in the Engineering Classroom
The opportunities at Apopka seem to enlist endless possibilities. We are one of the few schools in Florida to offer the Applied Robotics curriculum, the first school to offer drone certification along with many other certifications and exams available, and we proudly claim a well-performing robotics team who has gone to the world championship three times and won Excellency two years in a row. A high percentage of graduates from our Engineering Magnet go on to pursue engineering degrees, and the list goes on. It’s no wonder that the number of students participating has increased exponentially, at about eight times its original thirty students.
Some robots competing
Along with all the hands-on activities, the classes are advanced and meticulous, requiring students to travail if they want to do well. Most students in the magnet are already academically diligent, which makes them very likely to succeed in every aspect of their academic careers. Bruce Hicks, a senior, stated, “It’s always challenging, but it’s mainly us challenging ourselves. We wanna do something that normally we don’t have to, but we do it anyway, because we like the challenge.”
It pays off, too. Some students may be eligible for scholarships for being in a robotics program. The High School Involvement program, sponsored by Northrop Grumman (an American global aerospace and defense technology company), selects juniors each year to be mentored on their Electronic Systems campus here in Apopka. If the protégé auspiciously completes their two years and end up studying in an engineering related field, they can be awarded $20,000 in scholarship money. Pairing this with driven and well-achieving students results in a high probability of full scholarships and further success.
This, however, does not accurately describe the ideals of the magnet. Mr. MacWithey, a teacher and lead director of the Engineering Magnet at Apopka, relayed that, “[Our goal] is to produce engineers for tomorrow. There is a noted STEM deficiency in the United States, in terms of students being trained in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. That’s a passion of mine to make sure we are creating the future engineers…”
With that uplifting note, it’s time to get to the unsanded edges. Susan Smucz, grade nine, was forced to transfer schools in order to join the program. “I had to leave all my friends at Olympia to come here. I had to start all over.” Others have shared that they have had to miss classes, take some online, or even give them up completely due to the Engineering Magnet. Many joke about the lack of sleep or other competitors being the worst part, which shows that they actually enjoy the material.
So, how does one join? Typically, students are supposed to join in 8th grade, when you apply to the School Choice Program at Orange County Public Schools. In addition, you must have 3.0 GPA, as well as a passing score on the algebra 1 exam. Some students apply as a 9th grader, but it is not as easy. 10th graders are rarely accepted, as you must have exceptional credentials. After that, you are not able to join the program.
In short, the Engineering Magnet is a great way for kids to learn new and important skills, while still being academically challenged and earning credit for college. With competitions in underwater robotics, aerospace drone robotics, and much more, kids get hands-on experience and get through the trial and error of finding what they are good at early in life. A challenging course for a challenging career, the Engineering Magnet is a great choice for those interested.