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STEM Leadership Institute

Our Core Values

Collaborative Spirit  |  Communication  |  Creativity   Curiosity  |  Determination | Risk-Taking 
 Leadership  |  Passion  |  Initiative

For More Information

49ers STEM Leadership Institute websiteVISIT Application Page

About the program...

The 49ers STEM Leadership Institute, created in partnership with the 49ers, the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and the Santa Clara Unified School District and supported by ASML, is a six-year program that prepares students with high academic potential to be outstanding. The Institute aims to inspire and prepare its students to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) majors at top-tier universities and become the future leaders in their fields. The program is offered at no cost (inclusive of class time, materials, and additional academic support resources) and is located at Cabrillo Middle School (grades 7-8) and Santa Clara High School (grades 9-12).

All students who apply and are accepted during their 6th grade year will begin the program in 7th grade. Student cohorts will enroll full-time at Cabrillo Middle School for the 7th and 8th grades and will continue with their cohort at Santa Clara High School for 9th through 12th grades. 

Three young girls huddle around a laptop in the foreground, while other students work on computers in the background of a classroom.
Two young people in safety glasses focus on a robotic arm in the foreground, with blurred figures and a yellow wall in the background.
Two young men are focused on assembling a complex robotic structure on a table, with a blurred background of a doorway and trash can.
A young girl in a purple hoodie and safety glasses works on a robot in the foreground, with a purple wall in the background.
A robot with the number 13215 on its side is lifting a white cube in the foreground, while a background of stacked cardboard boxes and a green robot with the number 991 are visible.
Two students in safety glasses work on a complex robot with a numbered tag, while a blurred background suggests an indoor event.
Two young women in a classroom are engaged in a science experiment with dry ice, while a teacher observes in the background.
A yellow scroll saw with an attached lamp is in the foreground, while a band saw and a CNC router are in the background of a workshop.
A group of children in the foreground are building a structure with marshmallows and toothpicks, while the background shows a room with a tiled floor and a red rug.
Two girls in red shirts and khaki pants, wearing headphones and masks, stand in front of a computer screen and a large blue CNC machine in the background.
In the foreground, a group of students wearing hard hats gather around a tall, intricate wooden tower, while in the background, a dark stage with lighting equipment is visible.
A 3D printer's nozzle extrudes red filament onto a glass build plate in the foreground, with the %22Ultimaker%22 logo visible on the machine's frame in the blurred background.
A scroll saw and a CNC router sit on a checkered floor in a workshop with a computer setup in the background.
A young girl in a red dress stands at a microphone holding papers, with a large red and gold circular logo in the background.
A young girl in a red shirt and safety gear points at a computer screen while a woman in headphones and goggles looks on, with a workshop environment visible in the background.
A young man in a black cap and red shirt points at a laptop screen while an adult in a red shirt looks on, with blurred figures and a bright background behind them.
A person's hands are shown in the foreground, one holding scissors and the other a straw, working on a cylindrical structure made of straws, while in the background, a classroom setting with chairs and a desk is visible.
A young girl in a white t-shirt smiles as she works on a marshmallow and toothpick structure in the foreground, while other students are visible in the background of a classroom.

What does the program look like?

Rigorous college-preparatory curriculum.  All students take enhanced math and science courses together during the school day, building deeper understandings and finding real-world applications in their content classes, with integration between subject areas and the engineering lab. Students are also held accountable for the A-G curriculum required for college entrance.

State-of-the-art engineering lab. As part of the international Fab Foundation network, the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute has two dedicated spaces equipped with resources needed to carry out extensive science, technology, engineering, and math projects. This includes digital fabrication tools (3D-printers, laser cutters, vinyl cutters, ShopBots), robotics kits, laptops and tablets, and other cutting edge technologies.

Extensive additional hours of learning time each year. Students deepen learning through hands-on projects, visits to local companies and laboratories, and preparation for local, state, and national competitions. Students also receive additional tutoring, mentoring, and coaching. These activities take place before or after school every week, two Saturdays a month, and for three weeks each summer. Parents are asked to partner with the Institute to support these activities.

 

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