A GROUP OF 60 LISBON HIGH SCHOOL freshman students will be participating in green technologies program called FUSE on Tuesday, April 14. The FUSE program invites young people to explore hands-on challenges inspired by real-world STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and design practices. FUSE is a new kind of interest-driven learning experience developed by researchers and educators in the School of Education and Social Policy at Northwestern University. Siemens has partnered with Northwestern and created classes offered to students in grades K-12. The FUSE program offers a wide array of challengers that appeal to students’ existing interests in music, design and pop culture. Students work in teams of five at their own pace to complete the FUSE challenges, leveling up through increasingly complex projects and producing unique artifacts along the way. FUSE facilitators for the event at LHS will be science teachers Rita Newell and Anne Wallace. Teachers will assist with problem solving during the challenges presented by the complex projects. Combining STEM programs with FUSE classes provides an additional approach to the sciences for a more diverse group of students. Pictured are high school students trying out FUSE challenges of Wind Commander and a Solar Roller at a Siemens outreach event.