STEM Journeys for Girls at Acera

At Acera, girls—and all students—have the opportunity to dive deep into creative thinking and STEM exploration, learning without limits. While our courses evolve over time, our mission remains the same: to help students discover their sense of self and carve out a future as innovators, scientists, and leaders, with no ceiling on what they can learn or achieve.

While our focus isn’t on elite college admissions, Acera students consistently thrive in rigorous STEM fields and gain acceptance to outstanding universities. As we approach our Girls in STEM event, we invite you to spread the word! Share this flyer at work and on social media to help us make this free educational event a success.

As a new-ish school (we are only in year 15, so kindergarten students from our founding year are now sophomores in college… It is still early to know lots about careers and contributions Acera alums will achieve in the world, in their lives. Here is a snapshot, though, of a few girls’ paths… 

How have Acera girls engaged in STEM during their time here and beyond? Here are just a few inspiring pathways:

E.W. attended Acera in our first year, a fifth grade girl who had never before been able to show what she could do in math; we assured the right math teacher and group so she could gallop through math levels during her four years at Acera.  Her confidence and identity grew as she unlocked her mathematical potential and wide interests across all topics.  She attended BUA for high school, and majored in biology at Yale, where she now works in a lab focusing on bioinformatics and computational biology.  

K.C. was at Acera for four years, creating an IMP project which leveraged VR to help people get over their fear of public speaking. K.C. entered her Acera project and gained acceptance at an Educational Technology conference as a 14 year old.  K.C. attended Chapel Hill – Chauncy Hall and then transferred to Governor’s Academy HS, and is now a biology major at Hobart and William Smith College. She is not letting her rigorous schedule as a college athlete interfere with her applications to biology PhD programs, which she hopes to begin next year.  

S.E. sailed through high school in three years (a mix of public, homeschool) and then Reed College, also in three years.  As part of her experience at Reed, she worked as a reactor operator, (seriously!)  and now is an analytical chemist. 

A.G. found freedom in her math journey at Acera, as well as in physics and studying python.  After attending her public high school, she landed at Princeton.  

E.M. started Acera in sixth grade, growing from a shy, “well behaved” girl into a courageous leader who galvanized her classmates for an out-of-town school trip to DC during 8th grade.  She attended Concord Academy, took a gap year for competitive mountain bike racing and experiences abroad with large wild animals (not making that up!) and then attended Tufts University.  She started veterinary school this past fall.  

L.E. attended Acera for nine years, often winning our AMC8 National Math Competition prize for the school, even as a 6th grader competing against 7th and 8th graders.  After Acera, she attended Gann for HS, she is now at Columbia with a plan to major in math.   

P.N. joined Acera as a second grader, and showed her STEM and creative verve particularly in her IMP projects.  Often working in three dimensions and hands-on ways, she designed a greenhouse structure which could be opened with sensors when lit by sunlight.  She spent a year at Commonwealth and then became a boarder at Exeter Academy.  

M.L. attended Acera for many years, engaging deeply across all topics – science, law, math… She finishes at her public high school this spring, and will attend MIT in the fall.

These are just a few snapshots of the incredible STEM journeys our Acera alumnae—now young women—have taken! Every student’s path is unique, and it has been a gift and an honor to have them as part of our community. I hope we can find new ways to reconnect with Acera alumni as they continue their careers and make a meaningful impact on the world!

All the best, 

Courtney