Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas: Adding Critical Thinking to a Successful STEM School

How do we ensure that students who achieve at high levels in STEM fields also develop the 21st century communication skills needed to succeed in today’s highly verbal world? Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas (CASLV) is a K-12 public charter school that has an emphasis on math, science, and technology.  They’ve had the distinction of being designated as a high-achieving school by the Nevada Department of Education two years in a row and are in their 3rd year partnering with thinkLaw!

Steadfast problem-solving habits coupled with developing a flexible mindset in solving hypothetical, real-life problems is paramount to being successful in STEM-related careers. Being able to apply the habits and mindsets while students are in a secondary environment will help them be more prepared in college and the workplace.  thinkLaw CEO/Founder Colin Seale knows this first-hand and says, “As a Computer Science major at Syracuse University, I was obsessed with always finding the right answer to something. It wasn’t until law school where I learned how to be more comfortable with approaching problem-solving through design thinking. Not only did I become more comfortable in this gray space; I thrived off of it and this skill set truly is necessary for all career paths and life.”

Colin first met CASLV’s Executive Director Ercan Aydogdu through the Charter Schools Association of Nevada.  Mr. Aydogdu was named the 2014 administrator of the year. He recognizes that students need a diverse set of skills to compete in the 21st century job market and that those skills can be fostered through the development of critical thinking.

CASLV  first opened for the 2007-2008 school year.  Since then they’ve experienced tremendous growth and have opened multiple campuses.  As their reputation continues to grow they have more and more students apply every year.  Last year they received over 3,500 applications for admission for 300 open seats. In addition to their academic successes, students at CASLV participate in numerous academic competitions.  Since 2008, Coral students have won over 45 distinctions at the UNLV Science fair, including 14 first place finishes. They’ve earned over 30 medals from the Nevada Science Olympiads. They’ve had students participate in the Intel International Engineering and Science fair, science bowl, robotics competitions, and debate tournaments.  In the past ten years, they’ve placed 9 times in MathCounts, 9 times in Math Matters, and in 2013 had 21 students receive the National Honor Roll Award from the Noetic Learning Math Contest.

A school holding this many academic accolades obviously prioritizes critical thinking. thinkLaw is excited to continue to work with CASLV as part of our vision to create a world where critical thinking is no longer a luxury good!

To find out more about CASLV check out their website.


To order a critical thinking assessment for your students or to learn how your school or organization can adopt thinkLaw’s standards-aligned program that helps educators teach critical thinking to all students, please click here to schedule a time to speak with someone on the thinkLaw team or call us now at (702) 318-7512. Join us on our next webinar: Thinking Like a Lawyer: Powerful Strategies to Teach Critical Thinking to All Students

  

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