Chicago Parent: E.R.A. Program Opening Doors

KIM KOVELLE – A group of students huddles around their project: a motor, popsicle sticks, and rubber bands. Their goal? Build a car. But there are no step-by-step instructions. No safety net.

“They need to figure it out,” explains their instructor, John Lui. “Some kids get this mind block: ‘If I fail, it’s terrible.’ But in STEM, you need to fail. It’s how they develop critical thinking skills.”

That’s the core of the ERA Program, which Lui directs. Short for “engineering, robotics, and aviation,” this elective-based option is woven into grades 6-12 at St. John’s Northwestern Academies, a private coed prep and boarding school in Delafield, Wisconsin.

From 3D printing campus maps to piloting drones, students get hands-on STEM experience.

“Five, six, seven years from now, there’ll be careers that you never thought of,” Lui says. “We are preparing these kids for jobs that aren’t yet available.”

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St. John’s Northwestern Academies provides a safe, structured environment where students build a strong foundation for success. With specialized programs tailored to future aspirations, SJNA prepares young leaders to excel academically, professionally, and personally. Learn more at www.sjnacademies.org.