COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — It’s not often students get to help build a new school, but that’s exactly what happened in Commerce City three years ago. The STEAD School opened in 2021 to its first 9th grade class.
STEAD stands for science, technology, engineering, agriculture and design. The campus incorporates agriculture features like a greenhouse and farm. Students can choose a pathway in animal science, plant science, environmental science or food science.
But as principal Amie Weldy likes to say, it’s not a farm school. The goal is to prepare students for a variety of careers by teaching a variety of skills.
“We have the writing skills, we have communication skills. Each quarter, our students are answering a big question for a project that they then exhibit at a community night,” Weldy explained.
Several of the founding students are now the first seniors at STEAD, and said they were interested in the hands-on and project-based learning style. Ryder said it also helped him connect to an internship in horticulture at the Denver Zoo.
“It helped develop an interest in agriculture for me,” Ryder said.
The school has a goal of getting 60-75% of the seniors in internships in a variety of industries.
The campus has also evolved — from one building to now three classroom buildings, a greenhouse, plus a seed and soil lab. All the food that’s grown in the greenhouse and farm is used in the cafeteria or at the STEAD market where students have a chance to learn entrepreneurship skills.
One thing the school hasn’t had for its first three years is a natural grass field for sports. That’s now under construction thanks to a grant from Adams County.
“We're really excited to have this opportunity, it helps to just build well rounded students,” Weldy said.
Amy Schwartz, vice president with Oakwood Homes — which has been involved with the STEAD School since its creation — praised the continuing partnerships with the community and Adams County.
“The Founders Field will enhance the physical education and sports experience for the students, while serving as a new gathering place for recreation and community events,” Schwartz said.
Senior Sadie, who will graduate this year, is hoping the school will continue to grow.
“I'm sad to leave before it's fully finished, because I did want to see it all the way through. But I'm also just happy because the new freshmen get to experience it,” she said.