91% Full in Days: RTPark STEM Program Expands to 480 Seats as Schools Report Rising Career Interest

The UVI Research and Technology Park’s after-school STEM program entered the new school year nearly full, with 91 percent of its 480 available seats claimed within days and educators reporting that more students are beginning to envision careers in science and technology. The program officially launched this week across all 14 K-8 public schools in the territory after registration opened only two weeks earlier. Capacity increased substantially from 350 seats last year to 480 this year, but demand rose with it, RTPark Chief Executive Officer Eric Sonnier told board members Tuesday. Enrollment on St. Croix has reached 95 percent, while St. Thomas is at 98 percent. St. John remains the outlier at 43 percent, prompting plans for an RTPark representative to visit schools with lower participation and conduct hands-on demonstration projects designed to generate additional student interest. The strong demand continues a rapid expansion of RTPark’s youth programming. Earlier this year, The C...