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Pike County Schools became the first system in the Southeast to receive a Cognia Science Technology Engineering and Math System STEM Certification.

Cognia is a global non-profit that promotes continuous improvement in schools and awards certifications and accreditation to member schools. During a Tuesday press conference, Dr. Mark Bazzell, Pike County Schools superintendent, said the school system had been working on the accreditation for a number of years.

“This is an exciting day for us,” Bazzell said. “We started talking about our STEM instruction way before COVID. So, we’re probably eight years into this. I think STEM will lead to better student outcomes and STEM goes a long way in making sure our students are career ready.”

Bazzell said the accreditation process involved everyone from the administration to the teachers in the classroom.

“If it hadn’t been for the teachers embracing STEM and making a commitment to put it in their classrooms every day, this would not have been possible,” Bazzell said.

Jeff Langham, a representative from Cognia, said he had followed Pike County Schools’ progress as an innovator in STEM education while as superintendent of Elmore County Schools, again as a deputy superintendent in the Alabama State Department as well as during his time with Cognia.

“We’re here to recognize an achievement that is stellar,” Langham said. “Pike County Schools is the first system in the state to earn a System STEM Certification. It’s also the first system in the Southeast Region, that’s about 10,000 schools, to earn this level of distinction.”

Bazzell said Pike County Schools’ Cognia accreditation was for STEM programs in grades K-12 throughout the system. Bazzell said the system had smart labs in every school and students entered STEM programs in the fifth grade and continued through the academies programs in the 10th to 12th grades.

Bazzell said students were able to take advantage of college dual enrollment opportunities through academy programs or certificate programs and certificate programs through partnerships with  Troy University, Enterprise State Community College and Lurleen B. Wallace Community College.

Bazzell said the academy programs lead to various associate degrees from Troy University and Enterprise State and certificate programs are available from ESCC and Wallace Community College.

Students can earn associate degrees in:

• art

• agriscience

• business and finance
• early childhood education
• electrical engineering
• exercise and health science
• first in flight and leadership
• health and information technology
• industrial art and design
• international studies
• mechatronics
• medical assisting technology
• paralegal studies
• rock music or performance
• STEM
• teacher education

Certificate programs include:

• agri-science
• aviation maintenance technician
• business and finance
• cosmetology
• early childhood education
• health information technology
• mechatronics
• medical assisting technology
• paralegal
• information technology
• welding
• construction technology
• plumbing