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Savannah Grove Elementary Becomes STEM Certified School

Savannah Grove Elementary Becomes STEM Certified School

COGNIA, the national organization which accredits primary and secondary schools throughout the United States and internationally, has certified Savannah Grove Elementary in Florence 1 as a STEM-accredited school. 

“The COGNIA STEM certification of Savannah Grove Elementary School validates our commitment to excellence in STEM education and our dedication to preparing students for success,” said Savannah Grove Elementary School Principal Latonya Yates-Ford. 

Savannah Grove Elementary joins six other schools in Florence 1 (Carver, Delmae, Royall, Moore, Southside and West Florence) certified in STEM education.  

In order to become STEM certified, Savannah Grove Elementary School had to meet the specific requirements and criteria from COGNIA to show how its STEM program was performing. This process was demonstrated through narratives, answered questions, and documented evidence. 

“Once we provided the required information, a COGNIA evaluation team critiqued our documentation and interviewed students, teachers, parents and administrators,” said Yates-Ford. “During the final stage of the process, the evaluation team visited our campus and determined that Savannah Grove Elementary met the requirements for STEM-certification.” 

Savannah Grove Elementary STEM Coach Candice Heyward said, “Our recognition as a STEM-certified school means that we are dedicated to providing fun and engaging STEM activities for students to help them learn and grow through the Engineering Design Process. STEM certification demonstrates to the community that we are building students’ knowledge for them to embark on new journeys with endless possibilities for their future.”

Principal Yates-Ford further expressed expectations for students at Savannah Grove in light of the STEM certification. “As we continue to expose students to engaging STEM activities and experiences, students' interest and passion for STEM subjects, can lead to them pursuing higher education or careers in these fields. This certification continues to shine a light on the Savannah Grove community as a community of lifelong learners. “We are proud of our certification and academic progress. We will continue to instill pride in our students and community.”