By Don Rhodes II | The Birmingham Times
Excitement filled the air as students, teachers, and community members gathered at Booker T. Washington K-8 School in Birmingham to celebrate a major milestone — the school’s official Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) certification by the National Institute for STEM Education.
For Principal Dr. Antonia Ishman, the national certificate for STEM excellence is more than a sign of the hard work at the school; it also represents a deep commitment to preparing students for the future.
“This honor means that everyone here will forever see the value and importance of STEM throughout their curriculum,” said the principal. “They will see school as more relevant because it’s not just words on a page — they’re living it.”
Students engaged in inquiry-based learning, monthly STEM challenges, and even collaborated with community organizations such as the Birmingham Fire Department and University of Alabama at Birmingham. “We want [students] to see the world as a place with hope where there may be problems, but there are solutions, and they can find those solutions in STEM,” Ishman added.
Students Take The Lead
The school held a STEM showcase last week that featured student projects across all grade levels that included roller coasters, business pitches, and creative displays. Eighth grader Ra’Naja Bell-Rucker proudly shared her role in designing and presenting a table of roller coasters, created with the help of classmates.
“The red one — I helped make it and presented it,” she said, pointing to one of the roller coasters. “The brown one — I made most of the parts. And the red one, even though I didn’t make it, I inspired it.”
She explained why her group chose roller coasters: “They showcase potential and kinetic energy, also centrifugal force — all in one,” she said.
Fourth grader Zoe Brentlinger worked with her classmates on a poster board that detailed their own business concept. “Me and my friends made it together. It just tells about the features of our product,” she said
Both students agreed the program helped bring STEM to life. “It’s a great way to show what we do and how we do it,” Bell-Rucker said. “It’s a great way to learn about things you wouldn’t normally learn about in the classroom.”
Making STEM Real
The certification process was no small feat. Over the course of a year and a half, staff and students worked diligently to document and showcase their STEM efforts. From hands-on projects to community partnerships, the school transformed its learning environment into one driven by problem-solving and innovation.
“We want them to experience science, technology, engineering, and math,” said Kenneth Chamberlin, Chair of the STEM Committee at Washington K-8. “That’s why you see the projects they’ve done in the gym. We do projects monthly so that learning is real and relevant.”
He added, “Part of the process with the National Institute for STEM Education was for us to present evidence projects, pictures, and videos of what teachers and students are doing in the classroom.”
Booker T. Washington K-8 offers STEM clubs for every student, from kindergarten through eighth. These include aviation, UAB Nursing, math competitions, and chess. “Every child in middle school participates in a club on Fridays,” Chamberlin said. “We even have five teachers who are nationally certified STEM educators we’re very proud of them.”
He continued. “We want our students to explore the world through internships, labs, and even their own businesses — because they can shape and help our community.”
A Shift In Culture
The school community hopes this milestone will drive a cultural shift in how students view learning. “We want our students to investigate, to inquire about the world around them and not just see teaching, learning, and school as something that happens from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.,” Ishman said.
One of the school’s next major projects is a community garden their third in collaboration with Jones Valley Teaching Farm and city leaders. “The first garden was so exciting — they [students] would make salads and share them with other students in the school,” Ishman recalled. “They didn’t even know where things like tomatoes came from. Now they understand how what they learn in school can impact the community.”
The principal hopes this certification will elevate the school not only within the district, but across Alabama. “We want Booker T. Washington to be a leader in Birmingham City Schools — and in the state,” she said. “This helps Washington stand out and shows everyone else what an amazing school this really is.”
