Jaguar Engineers

By Shelley Carter
Maynard Jackson High School (MJHS) Engineering Program needs help from the community, specifically individuals or companies who work or are retired from engineering, technology, construction, or design fields. Volunteers from the community could support the program through participation on an advisory board.
The program at the new high school building on Glenwood Avenue is more than just another high school engineering program. It is about applying science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to solve complex, open-ended problems in real-world context. Students focus on the process of defining and solving a problem, not on getting the “right” answer. They learn how to apply STEM knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to make the world a better place through innovation. The Jaguar Engineers program consists of four Foundations of Engineering classes and one Engineering Concepts class, the Technology Student Association (TSA), and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) club. This program is part of an ongoing effort by the Atlanta Public School system to expose students to STEM careers and prepare them for college through the Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) program.
“It’s a great opportunity,” said Karis Lane, an MJHS sophomore and president of the robotics team, adding that she enjoys building things and has a strong interest in being a biomedical engineer. Lane and eight other MJHS students spent the summer performing research in a mechanical engineering lab and an electrical engineering lab at Georgia Institute of Technology. MJHS Instructors chemical engineer Shelley Carter and mathematician Dr. Porsha Denson mentored the students along with Georgia Tech Professors.
The students have begun with rapid prototyping, statistics, trigonometry, engineering design process, and engineering graphics integrated in the curriculum. They also attended an electronics lab taught by Georgia Tech Professor Dr. Maxwell and his graduate school students. The students have built roller coasters, bridges, Altoid tin projects, and robots.
During this school year the students have been on field trips to 100 Black Men Robotics Showcase, the Airport Minority Council Luncheon, Southern Polytechnic University, and out-of-town trips to TSA Leadercon in Jekyll Island and TSA Technology Day in Perry, Georgia.
Maynard Jackson’s engineering program is seeking parents, community, and business partners to serve on the advisory board. Please contact Mrs. Shelley Carter at sxcarter@atlanta.k12.ga.us or call 404-802-5200 for additional information.