Rad to the Max: Leveling Up with Apple Distinguished and STEM Distinction

Like mixtapes and neon leg warmers, two recognitions, Apple Distinguished School and NC STEM School of Distinction, are better together. Both programs celebrate innovation, leadership, and a culture of continuous improvement: Apple Distinguished Schools highlight visionary use of technology to inspire creativity and personalize learning, while NC STEM Schools of Distinction recognize schools that model real-world problem solving, collaboration, and vibrant STEM culture.In this session, we’ll crank up the boombox and show how schools can remix these two frameworks into one powerful track for success. Participants will explore the overlap between Apple’s vision of technology-rich learning and North Carolina’s STEM principles, learn strategies for leveraging one recognition process to accelerate the other, and hear how leadership teams can synchronize their Walkman tapes, aligning school culture, instructional practices, and community engagement to gain recognition from both organizations.By the end, you’ll leave ready to hit play on your own school’s journey, proving that the road to innovation, like an ‘80s power ballad, is best when you don’t stop believin’.