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Vision Statement: To inspire, empower, and equip the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders through immersive STEM education - fostering a community of compassionate lifelong learners prepared to tackle the real-world challenges of today and tomorrow.

Mission Statement:  Our mission is to cultivate a vibrant community of compassionate lifelong learners and problem-solvers by providing high-quality immersive STEM education experiences. Through hands-on field experiences, job shadows, and authentic challenges such as our STEM Changemaker, Community Challenge, Capstone, and Internship experiences that bridge classroom learning with real-world application, we empower students to become innovative problem-solvers and effective leaders within and beyond school walls. We equip students with the mindset, skills, and resilience needed to address today's and tomorrow's challenges with confidence and empathy.

STEM Magnet Programs in Anne Arundel County offer challenging and engaging grade 6-12 opportunities for students to engage in learning content and skills across the diverse fields within the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).  

The AACPS STEM Office provides and supports a wide range of STEM-related in-school and out-of-school learning opportunities, including the STEM middle and high school STEM Magnet Programs and the high school level BioMedical Allied Health (BMAH) Magnet Program - a STEM magnet program with a Healthcare focus. Students in the STEM and BMAH magnet programs engage in classes in Problem-Based Learning (referred to as Medical Rounds classes in the BMAH magnet program).

The STEM and BMAH Magnet Programs are based on a set of core STEM values.  The link below explains those values for the STEM middle and high school magnet programs. With interdisciplinary opportunities both in and out of the classroom, these STEM programs nurture students to become critical and creative thinkers and risk-takers through collaborative teamwork, research, rigorous coursework, data analysis, exciting clubs, competitions, and hands-on interactions with technology.  Together with our STEM university and industry partners, we prepare our students to succeed and lead in the STEM-driven 21st century!

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applications for STEM middle and high school magnet programs are no longer being accepted for the 2024-25 school year.  The application window for the 2024-25 school year was open from October 9, 2023 until November 13, 2023.

The application window for middle and high school STEM/BMAH Magnet Programs will be open from October 7 - November 7, 2024 at noon for the 2025-26 school year.  

Note: AACPS STEM Magnet Program middle and high schools will hold Fall Semester Magnet Information Nights to offer details of all programs for students and families considering whether to apply to any one of our STEM or BMAH Magnet Programs.  

High school STEM magnet programs are offered at North County and South River High Schools. These programs are rigorous and allow students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a STEM field of study or STEM Pathway where they participate in job shadowing, problem-based learning, field experiences, internships and meet STEM professionals who assist them in understanding future STEM careers and the paths they may travel to attain their chosen career. Along their STEM journey, they complete a community challenge with a local STEM business or organization and then finish their senior year by completing a robust capstone formal research project or engineering project to include a white paper and a professional STEM conference poster.  Over their high school years, STEM students build foundational knowledge and skills in the STEM disciplines and practice key soft skills needed to become successful in college, their community, and in their chosen future STEM career.  The high school STEM-BMAH Program is offered at Glen Burnie High School and is designed similar to the STEM Program but with a healthcare focus.

The application window for middle and high school STEM/BMAH Magnet Programs will be open from October 7 - November 7, 2024 at noon for the 2025-26 school year.  
 
AACPS STEM Magnet Program middle and high schools will hold Fall Semester Magnet Information Nights to offer details of all programs for students and families considering whether to apply to any one of our STEM Magnet Programs.  

Note: Applications for STEM and STEM-BMAH high school magnet programs are no longer being accepted for the 2024-25 school year.  The application window for the 2024-25 school year was open from October 9, 2023 until November 13, 2023.

Summer Programs are mandatory instructional components of grades 9, 10, and 11 in both the STEM and STEM-BMAH High School Magnet Programs. These programs are grade level specific and are designed to introduce students to specific concepts that they will utilize in high school and throughout their professional careers.

Diving into these concepts allows students to begin building their own foundation of skill sets prior to the beginning of the school year. These foundations then become metaphorical tools that students have in their toolboxes which can be used to solve challenges and create opportunities throughout their STEM journey and in the real world. In addition, STEM Summer Programs allow us to introduce students to the STEM Values and empower our students to apply these values to impact the lives of others in a real way.

NOTE:  Please be patient with the Summer Portal (CASP) to register your student for the STEM Summer Programs as you may experience some delays from time to time.  AACPS staff members are aware of the delays and are working on the technical challenges.  We will post all Summer Portal updates below.

Need to Request a STEM Summer Make-Up Session:  Please fill out this Request Form.

The STEM Middle School Magnet Program offers students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math an inquiry-based, inter-disciplinary environment to explore diverse STEM topics within their traditional subjects as well as in unique STEM-driven subjects. Located at Old Mill Middle South, Lindale Middle and Central Middle Schools, the STEM Magnet Program engages students in field research experiences and challenges them to think critically, communicate effectively, and become engaged and inquisitive STEM learners.      

ALL STEM middle school magnet students will actively participate in a year-long Changemaker Capstone project during their 8th grade tenure. Changemaking is part of the social innovation movement where people/students work in creative teams to make a lasting impact locally and/or globally through planning and taking action. In their changemaking work, students will develop skills in empathy, sophisticated team work, creative problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and project management. Everyone at any age can be a meaningful Changemaker! 

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Current grade 5 students and their families in AACPS will be able to apply for a seat in one of our middle school STEM programs for the 2025-26 school year beginning in October of 2024.  The application window for STEM middle school magnet programs will be open from October 7 - November 7, 2024 at noon for the 2025-26 school year.   

AACPS STEM Magnet Program middle and high schools will hold Fall Semester Magnet Information Nights to offer details of all programs for students and families considering whether to apply to any one of our STEM Magnet Programs.    

Note: Applications for STEM middle and high school magnet programs are no longer being accepted for the 2024-25 school year.  The application window for the 2024-25 school year was open from October 9, 2023 until November 13, 2023.