St. Andrews Bay STEM Academy welcomes students for first time

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - School is up and running in Bay County, but for one school, it is the first time students have graced its halls.

“The school opened last week so we are doing registration, so it takes a little bit of time, so the kids are getting their orientation, they are learning the different aspects of becoming a college student,” said Bill Hess, adjunct professor at Embry-Riddle University. “It is a little different than being a high school student. There is a lot more stress and a lot more criteria that we put on them. It is a transition from being treated as a high school student to being treated as a college student.”

The St. Andrews Bay STEM Academy has opened with its inaugural class of 60 students.

High schoolers at the private school are already learning everything most high schoolers do, and then some.

The STEM school is partnered with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to offer drone and robotics training for students.

With only eight classrooms right now, the school plans to renovate six more and accommodate 200 students once it reaches full capacity.