Rajadhar Reddy, 17, took a few minutes following his group’s senior Engineering Design & Development (EDD) presentation to reflect on the outcome.
He noted that equally important to the product designed as part of the project is the process behind it – the research, the design and the testing of a theory. The process requires utilizing numerous resources to expand horizons of knowledge and to develop innovative ideas.
The ‘end result’ is not the only important piece when it comes to making a difference in the world, as life is an ongoing, ever-changing process in and of itself. The journey, including the investigation and information gleaned from it, is crucial.
The Science Academy of South Texas (Sci Tech) takes a unique approach in educating its students, a method that allows students the opportunity to learn this lesson firsthand. The approach blends academic work with real-world experience, a practice that increases relevance and effectiveness for students.
As a senior at Sci Tech in Mercedes, Reddy has experienced the impact of a rigorous academic curriculum coupled with real-world tie-ins on the effectiveness of a student’s high school education.
Reddy acknowledges that the unique approach that Sci Tech takes in teaching its students meets a need in high school education in the Rio Grande Valley and pushes students to be their best academically.
Last year, Reddy was one of only 64 students in Texas to earn a perfect score, 36, on the ACT, scoring flawlessly in English, math, reading, science and writing. He has already been accepted to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for the coming fall semester, where he plans to pursue the pre-med track.
“Take advantage of your opportunities here, and always keep asking questions,” Reddy says, offering a message to future students. “Find out all the information you can, because what makes Science Academy special is that there are no boundaries. We grow with each other.”
Reddy was among approximately 150 seniors who presented in the campus’ First Annual ‘EDD Presents’ Conference in April. This marked the first year in which the entire student body participated in EDD, as all seniors presented their projects, and underclassmen had the opportunity to sit in on the presentations.