STEM Skills That Every Teen Should Learn

Today’s world relies on STEM industries, with technology constantly changing and requiring new sets of skills. The skills associated with STEM subjects are now more valuable than ever. No matter what your teen decides to pursue in college and beyond, certain STEM skills can be a great resource. Here are some STEM skills that we believe every teen should learn before they leave high school: 

Coding

While coding may have once been a hobby for geeks, it’s now increasingly incorporated into every industry. Consider enrolling your teen in an online course or an in-person coding bootcamp. Learning how to program in languages like Python and JavaScript can open up career opportunities. Not everyone knows how to code, and learning this skill can put your teen one step ahead. 

Data Analysis

Data analysts are some of the most sought after professionals in today’s world. Learning how to analyze data can take your teen a long way. These skills have benefits beyond the professional opportunities they open up. Knowing how to sift through data, understand it and make informed decisions can help out in many aspects of life. As technology advances and becomes more complex, these skills are more important than ever. 

Critical Thinking

Before going out into the world, your child needs to know how to think critically. Critical thinking means looking beyond the surface level of the material. It means analyzing and evaluating what’s in front of you. This can be difficult for teens to learn on their own. To foster these skills, ask open-ended questions, and encourage your child to be inquisitive. These skills will help them far beyond the classroom in all areas of their lives. 

Communication

Communication skills can be applied anywhere, but in STEM fields, they can be a matter of life or death. Things can go sideways when doctors, scientists or engineers fail to communicate. If your child is studying a STEM subject, help them figure out how to explain what they do in layman’s terms. Ask clarifying questions when they explain something in a scientific manner. Learning how to translate STEM speak into everyday language will set your child up for success.

Collaboration

In STEM projects and beyond, teens need to know how to work effectively with others. Almost any type of work involves collaboration, especially in today’s world. Collaboration means setting collective goals, dividing responsibilities and working together to accomplish more than an individual could do on their own. STEM subjects involve many moving parts, which makes collaboration a core focus of these fields. 

No matter what your teen decides to pursue, learning these STEM skills can help them thrive. Students at our Tampa private school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Bullying Prevention Program at NTCA

Bullying has lasting effects on all children: those who are bullied, those who bully, even those who witness bullying. It’s a complicated problem that requires community-based solutions. That’s where the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program at our Tampa private school comes into play. This research-based program helps make school a safer, more positive place to students by reducing bullying. It’s not a curriculum but a program that deals with bullying at every level of the school. 

Across the School

The bullying prevention program starts by training teachers and staff to deal with bullying problems. A schoolwide committee oversees the program, which starts with students filling out a questionnaire about the amount and types of bullying that take place. School staff watches over all the areas where bullying is likely to occur. When needed, the school holds schoolwide meetings for parents and events for parents and students. 

Additionally, students agree to follow four rules:

1. We will not bully others.

2. We will help others who are bullied.

3. We will try to include students who are left out.

4. If we know someone is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.

In the Classroom 

Teachers start by informing students of the four anti-bullying rules. Then, they hold class meetings for students to talk about bullying. At these meetings, students learn why bullying shouldn’t happen and how to ask an adult for help if they witness or experience bullying. Teachers use positive reinforcement to encourage students to follow the rules. When the rules are broken, students face negative consequences. By enforcing the rules, teachers work to maintain a positive learning environment for their students. 

For the Students

Students who experience bullying on both sides benefit from the training school staff receives. The bullied students get support from the staff, who tell them what action will be taken to end the bullying. Students who bully others are given consequences as soon as possible, giving them the opportunity to learn from the experience. Teachers and other staff meet with both sets of parents in hopes that the bullying will not continue for either child. 

Beyond the Campus

There’s not a simple solution to end bullying in schools. It takes a community of caring adults and children who know what to do when bullying happens. Beyond the walls of the school, our leadership actively looks for ways to develop partnerships with community members to help carry the anti-bullying message to everyone who needs to hear it. Reducing the effects of bullying on our school community is a top priority. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Principal Spotlight: Sherrie Warren

Academic Principal Sherrie Warren’s prolific academic career has taught her that, now more than ever, listening to students is the most important way to support their success.

“I feel that I have learned how to be a good listener throughout my years of teaching, and today’s students really need someone to listen to them,” Principal Warren said.

Principal Warren’s path to becoming a principal at NTCA began in 1988 when she started teaching for the Seventh-Day Adventist education system. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State University, then a master’s in administration and leadership from Capella University. Since then, she has worked at boarding academies, junior academies and K-12 schools. In the early 2000s, Principal Warren had her first foray into administration as an interim principal. Later on, at Thunderbird Academy, she worked as the vice principal of academics, registrar, student recruiter and alumni relations coordinator. 

Working in education brought Principal Warren a welcome variety that she wouldn’t otherwise experience, as well as a solid background for her current role. In recognition of her achievements in education, she earned a Tom and Violet Zapara Excellence in Teaching Award. 

Education allows Principal Warren to make a positive impact on the lives of students and their families. She loves to watch students learn about Jesus and choose to become dedicated followers. 

At NTCA, Principal Warren feels empowered to collaborate with her coworkers to help students prepare for their goals. If students take anything away from working with her, she hopes they learn behavioral, leadership and emotional skills, not just academic ones, to become positive, caring, service-driven citizens. The most rewarding part of her career is the moment when a student finally understands a concept after struggling with it.

“I love seeing my students have an ‘AHA’ moment when the light bulb goes on and they have comprehended a challenging concept,” Principal Warren said.

While helping students is her passion, Principal Warren also makes the most of life outside of school. She enjoys walking her two mini Daschund dogs, Casey and Jax, traveling to new places, taking road trips and going to the beach. Her favorite she’s traveled to is the island of Kalaui, Hawaii. Most of her hobbies involve being outside, but she enjoys spending some of her time off indoors, too. She likes to watch shows like Downton Abbey, which she says is the best series ever, but she especially enjoys reading.

“My favorite book is whatever I’m currently reading,” Principal Warren said. “I love to read and love each book I read.”

Get to Know Principal Sherrie Warren

1. Where did you grow up? I was born in southern California and lived there until I was 13 years old, then my family moved to south Oregon. 

2. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Chocolate!

3. If you could have any superpower, what would it be? Clone myself so more can get accomplished. 

4. What did you want to be when you were little? A teacher, then a doctor, then an airline pilot. 

5. What’s your favorite Bible verse or passage? 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 ”According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, the faculty, staff, and families work as a team. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.

Teacher Spotlight: Smyrna Jackson

Smyrna Jackson’s goal as a teacher is to make sure her students enjoy learning so they feel empowered to reach their full potential. Through project-based classes, she aspires to show all of her first graders, especially those who fall behind, that learning can be fun.

“Growing up, I always thought school was boring. Academics wasn’t something that came easy to me,” Ms. Jackson said. “I thank God that my wonderful parents kept me going.” 

Ms. Jackson grew up in many different places. She was born in New Jersey, then lived in Puerto Rico, Virginia, and Maryland. Eventually, her family moved back to her birthplace, but she wasn’t done moving around. Finding herself back in Maryland, she graduated from Washington Adventist University with a BS in counseling psychology. Later on, she moved to Florida, where she went back to school at St. Petersburg College to complete an alternative teaching program. 

As a child, Ms. Jackson wanted to be a paramedic, thinking it would be an exciting and fun job where she could help people. Since 1997, she’s worked with elementary school students in various roles— camp counselor, sabbath school teacher, mental health technician and teacher’s assistant. While working as an aftercare and summer camp director, she found her passion for teaching, which she has now been doing for 8 years.

“I realized how much I loved working with young kids, and I really wanted to make a difference in their lives,” Ms. Jackson said.

Outside of school, Ms. Jackson enjoys watching movies, traveling and going to the beach with her family, including her dog Rocky. When she has a chance, she would like to visit Ireland and see the Cliffs of Moher. During her alone time, she enjoys listening to music and reading. Her two favorite books are “Because I Love You” by Max Lucado and “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers. 

If Ms. Jackson could have dinner with anyone, she would choose Oprah Winfrey, Esther and Moses. She would talk to Oprah to find out how she got to the top and gain insight into what made her show so successful. With Esther, she would have a talk about courage. Given the chance to talk to Moses, she would ask about how he felt when he parted the Red Sea. While these figures inspire her, she also finds inspiration in her students. 

The most rewarding part of Ms. Jackson’s work as a teacher at NTCA is seeing how excited students get when they learn something new. The school encourages her to make changes when something isn’t working and supports her in meeting the needs of her students. She has found that her dramatic teaching style has been a great fit for her first graders, and she enjoys watching them get their hands dirty while engaging in project-based learning.

At the end of the day, Ms. Jackson hopes her students leave her classroom with a sense of responsibility and knowledge that they are part of something bigger than themselves— they are part of a community, and they are loved. 

“The number one thing I hope they take away from my classroom is that Jesus loves them no matter what,” Ms. Jackson said.

Get to Know Smyrna Jackson

• What’s your favorite TV show? Seinfeld.

• What’s your favorite Bible verse? “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” - Philippians 4:13 

• If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Garden salad.

• If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you would do? Take a cruise around the world.

• If you could have any superpower, what would it be? It would be so cool to fly.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, the faculty, staff, and families work as a team. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.

Crafting Traditions in the New Year

During the holiday season, you and your child most likely spent a lot of time behind screens. Shopping online for gifts, watching your favorite Christmas movies, and checking for social media updates are typical holiday hobbies. In the New Year, consider limiting screen time to spend more quality time as a family. Find a cereal box, grab some glitter, and get ready to get crafty.

Cereal Box Aquarium 

Growing up in Florida, your child most likely has a shell collection, possibly even a rock collection. From their numerous school arts and crafts projects, you may also be able to find construction paper, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes around the house. A cereal box aquarium can be made using just these objects, maybe adding a few more like paint and kinetic sand for dimension. Your child can get creative by using their favorite colors, types of fish, layouts and more. You just need to hold the hot glue gun and help with cutting out shapes. For step-by-step instructions, go here. 

Galaxy or Nebula Jar

Maybe your child is more enticed by stars in the sky than life under the sea. With a nebula jar, your child can hold the whole galaxy in the palm of their hands. In case your child asks, a nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen and other particles. This beautiful to observe project requires simple materials you may already have: a jar, water, glitter, paint and cotton balls. Once this jar is made, it doubles as a nice decoration and a calm down jar, which your child can lightly shake and watch to relax. For step-by-step instructions, go here.

Glitter Slime

Wondering what to do with all that extra glitter and confetti from past crafting projects? Try making it into glitter slime. Just add a few common ingredients: 4 oz. clear school glue, 1 tbsp contact solution and 0.5 tbsp of baking soda. Mix these ingredients first, then add the glitter, and add the confetti as a finishing touch. While this particular recipe calls for shamrock confetti, any confetti will do. This slime is easy enough to make, and it will provide hours of screen-free entertainment for your child. For step-by-step instructions, go here. 

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, we strongly believe hands-on learning is essential to a well-rounded education. Educational projects are an important part of our teaching philosophy. Our service-oriented approach builds Christian leaders who think deeply, choose wisely, create beauty, and use their dreams to solve problems. Want to learn more about what makes us different? Contact us today.