Academics
Innovation & Design
Innovation & Design: Mason Prep’s Unique STEM Program
InDI is an entire class period dedicated to inspiring innovative thinkers.
While Mason Prep has been actively engaging students through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) for years, we have taken STEM education a step further by creating our own unique version of STEM called InDI, which stands for "Innovation & Design Initiative." This revolutionary space allows students to explore and master skills needed in the field of science today. InDI is a dedicated class period (in addition to science and math) for students in all grades.
InDI designates time and space for students to apply modern-day science practices, while guiding students to think about innovative ways to approach problems and design solutions. Students are the driving force behind the topics and challenges covered, and teachers ensure our practices follow The Engineering Design Process. Students can be found 3D-printing, coding, inventing, building robotic systems, and more. Our goal is to raise innovative, scientific thinkers who have the tools to make a difference well beyond Mason Prep.
Mason Prep is the only school in Charleston to have earned the prestigious
STEM Certification from SCISA (South Carolina Independent School Association).
Examples of InDI activities include:
• Completing a national bridge engineering competition.
• Building various prototypes to improve or solve a problem.
• Using Tinkercad to 3D print articulated objects.
• Exploring robotic agriculture and using code to improve farm efficiency.
• Designing innovative homes to withstand local natural disasters.
• Learning about Apple’s sustainability plan and their use of robots to recycle metals.
• Completing a national bridge engineering competition.
• Building various prototypes to improve or solve a problem.
• Using Tinkercad to 3D print articulated objects.
• Exploring robotic agriculture and using code to improve farm efficiency.
• Designing innovative homes to withstand local natural disasters.
• Learning about Apple’s sustainability plan and their use of robots to recycle metals.
Through InDI, students begin to understand the concept of innovation and the value of new ideas in the real world. Our goal is to guide students through innovative thinking, bring their ideas to fruition, and design solutions that could one day change an industry.
Students are able to:
- Experience science in real time.
- Build confidence in a space where they can create and pitch their ideas.
- Learn to work as a team and to contribute in a productive way.
- Find their place in science and discover what sparks their interests.
We invite you to come and see our InDI classes in action. Get in touch to schedule a tour, or reach out to our Director of Admissions to learn more about this signature program.
Mason Preparatory School is committed to the education of the whole child in preparation for secondary education through the cultivation of respect, integrity, and personal responsibility within a nurturing environment that results in a productive citizen of a global community.
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