Steel City Academy -

🎉✨ At Steel City, we celebrate what we value and today we are so excited to celebrate our April Teacher & Staff Members of the Month! 💙🔥

This month’s honorees truly embodied our core values of purpose and team, consistently going above and beyond for our students, families, and school community throughout the month of April. Their impact reaches far beyond their job descriptions and we are so grateful for the heart, energy, and excellence they bring to Steel City each and every day. 💪🏽✨

🌟 Teacher of the Month: Mr. Ward - Our Geometry and Computer Science teacher, Mr. Ward showed up with tremendous purpose throughout April. From leading engaging stations during our Family STEM Night, to opening his classroom for us to host school visits, to supporting our seniors as a dedicated Senior Squad Leader, Mr. Ward stepped up wherever needed to support students and our school community. 🔥

🌟 Instruction, CCR & Culture Staff Member of the Month: Mr. Douglas - Mr. Douglas is truly remarkable and consistently shows up with purpose, positivity, and a willingness to lean in wherever needed. From participating in our Math Institute, to driving GACC mini bus runs to ensure students have access to opportunities, to serving as a mentor and role model for so many of our young men, Mr. Douglas embodies what it means to live out our Steel City core values every single day. 💙

🌟 Leader, Finance & Operations Staff Member of the Month: Officer McClain - Officer McClain shows up every day with incredible consistency, reliability, and care for our school community. Whether supporting students, assisting staff, or simply stepping in wherever help is needed, Officer McClain is always willing to lend a helping hand with professionalism and positivity. His steady presence and commitment to keeping our school safe and supported make a tremendous impact on our community each day. 👏🏽🔥

Please help us celebrate these incredible team members by showing them some love in the comments and congratulating them when you see them around campus! 🌸💐

Thank you all for living out our mission and showing what it means to lead with purpose, joy, gratitude, grit, accountability, and team. We are so proud to have you at Steel City Academy! 💙🔥

#SteelCityAcademy #TeamSteelCity #SteelCityStrong #TeacherOfTheMonth #StaffOfTheMonth

📚✨ Have you heard the exciting news? The Steel City Academy Yearbook has officially arrived and is ready for you to order! 🎉🔥 Don’t miss your chance to capture the memories, friendships, achievements, and unforgettable moments from this school year. 💙📸

Everyone is featured, and everyone has a story to tell in this heroic edition! 🦸🏽‍♀️🦸🏽‍♂️✨ Grab your copy before they’re gone and relive the moments that made this year legendary! 🎓🏆💫

🛒 Click the link BUY A YEARBOOK or visit the Steel City Website! 💻📖

🎓✨ Last week, we had the joy of celebrating one of our favorite Steel City traditions, our Class of 2026 Decision Day! ✨🎓

In addition to proudly celebrating our seniors’ postsecondary pathway decisions across college, military enlistment, and trade school, we also had the opportunity to recognize several incredible scholarship recipients and special Steel City award honorees 👏🏽💙

Huge congratulations to:
🏆 Amiris C. for receiving the Purdue Northwest Academic Achievement Scholarship
🏆 Jorriah P. for receiving the Gary STEM Scholarship sponsored by The Boeing Company
🏆 Ayr’Qillia S. for receiving the Purdue University Promise Scholarship
🏆 Cory M. for receiving the Legacy Foundation Bill & Sue Modrak Scholarship
🏆 Cherish, Ayr’Qillia, and Jayla for receiving the 21st Century Scholars Tuition Scholarship
🏆 Makyla, Jorriah, and Shatierra for receiving acceptance and scholarships through IU Indianapolis Groups!

We also want to give a very special shout out to our Class of 2026 National Honor Society officers and members. Thank you for your leadership, service, and commitment to excellence throughout your journey at Steel City ❤️

Finally, we were incredibly proud to honor our Steel City Strong Award recipients, students who started with us in 7th, 8th, or 9th grade and stayed the course with purpose, grit, and resilience. In a world where it can be easy to walk away when things get hard, this group showed the power of perseverance and commitment 💪🏽🔥

A special shout out to Mrs. Moss, our College & Career Counselor, for her tireless work supporting every senior through this important season of life and helping make these dreams possible ✨ We are also so grateful to our senior squad leaders, Mrs. Ward (Jackson State 💙🐅) and Mr. Ward (Purdue 🚂💛🖤), for their mentorship, and unwavering support of our students throughout this critical senior year journey.

Class of 2026, your future is so bright and we are beyond proud of each and every one of you! ✨

🎉✈️ BIG celebration at Steel City Academy! ✈️🎉

We are beyond proud to share that Jorriah P. (Class of 2026) was honored at the Boeing STEM Signing Day for earning a prestigious STEM scholarship! 🔬📚 This incredible recognition reflects her hard work, dedication, and commitment to pursuing a future in STEM!

Jorriah is a shining example of purpose, grit, and excellence in action 🔥 Please join us in congratulating her on this amazing achievement when you see her! 👏🏽💙

A huge thank you to Mrs. Moss and our CCR Team for their unwavering support, and to The Boeing Company for this powerful partnership and investment in our students’ futures 🙌🏽✨

#STEMSuccess #FutureLeaders #GaryIN

We are so excited to celebrate our incredible teachers and team at Steel City all week long! 🍎✨ Through intentional acts of appreciation led by our leadership team, we are making sure our staff knows that the work they do for our students matters, is seen, and is deeply valued not just this week, but all year long ❤️🔥

We kicked things off today with customized Steel City water bottles and thoughtfully curated snack and goodie bags! 🎁💧 Huge thank you to Principal Pratt and Mrs. Combs for making today so special, and to our generous donors who helped bring this week to life 🙌🏽

Stay tuned all week as we highlight our Teacher Appreciation Act of the Day! 🎉

Drop some love in the comments to celebrate our teachers and show them how much they mean to you 👇🏽

🔥 Magnificent Monday is BACK at Steel City 🔥

Every Monday is a Magnificent Monday as we push to finish Quarter 4 strong 💪🏽✨

Our teachers had the opportunity to nominate students and squad members who went above and beyond last week in living out our core values every single day. From showing grit in the classroom, to leading with joy, to stepping up for their peers with purpose and accountability, these students are setting the tone for what excellence looks like 🔥📚

We are so proud to recognize these MAGNIFICENT students and celebrate the impact they are making across our school community ❤️ Join us in giving them a well deserved round of applause in the comments 👏🏽👇🏽

#MagnificentMonday #CoreValuesInAction

Happy National Principal’s Day to Principal Pratt! 🔥✨

At Steel City Academy, we are incredibly grateful for a leader who sets the bar high and leads with excellence in everything she does. Principal Pratt shows up each day with purpose, heart, and an unwavering commitment to our students, demonstrating the kind of resilience and strength that defines truly exceptional leadership.

From driving academic achievement and championing rigorous, joyful learning in every classroom, to building a culture rooted in purpose, accountability, and love, her impact is felt in every corner of our school community. As a teacher and instructional leader, she brings deep expertise and vision that continues to elevate outcomes for our students and our team.

Principal Pratt, thank you for leading with integrity, pouring into our staff and students, and pushing us all to be our very best. We are better because of you. 💙📚

Drop some love for Principal Pratt in the comments! 👇🏽🔥

🚀🔬 Steel City Students & Families - This is a BIG ONE! 🔥

We are so excited to share an incredible opportunity for our students this summer 💙

Our students have been selected for FREE enrollment in the STARBASE STEM Summer Camp at the National Guard Armor and we get FIRST access to register 👏🏽

This hands-on, high-energy camp is all about science, technology, engineering, and math coming to life in the most engaging way. From experiments to real-world problem solving, this is an experience our students will never forget 🧠✨

🗓 Camp Dates:
• June 8–11 (Grades 6–8)
• June 15–18 (Grades 3–5)
• June 22–25 (Grades 6–8)

⏰ Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Monday–Thursday)
📍 Location: National Guard Armory

⚠️ IMPORTANT DETAILS:
• Enrollment opens TOMORROW, Friday, May 1
• Spots are FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED
• Application deadline is May 6
• Families must provide daily transportation to and from camp

This is an AMAZING opportunity for our students to explore STEM in a powerful, hands-on way 💡

👉🏽 Register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLSdax5JcZMX1ZvVgT0bQiS-HeWjdIOdD7hs_7xvNrfqRytxg7g/viewform?usp=send_form&urp=gmail_link

Let’s get our students signed up and ready to learn, explore, and have FUN this summer 🔥💫

Reminder, Steel City family! ✨ There will be no school on Friday, May 1st 🎉

As we head into Teacher Appreciation Week starting Monday, May 4th, we are giving our incredible educators the gift of time. This is one small way we show our gratitude for the love, energy, and commitment they pour into our students every single day ❤️

Enjoy the long weekend, Steel City! 💫

At Steel City, we are committed to creating meaningful experiences both inside and outside the classroom that prepare our students for their postsecondary pathways, whether that’s college, trade school, or military service 🎓✨

Shout out to Ayr’Qillia, Nicholas, and Amari for spending a Satruday at Purdue University for Community Tracks Day! 🔥 It was an incredible opportunity to explore campus, engage in new learning, and envision what their futures can hold.

A special highlight — connecting with Steel City alum Dasani, who shared her college experience and poured right back into our students. Full circle moments like this matter 💛

Huge gratitude to Ms. Moss for making this opportunity possible and continuing to expand what’s possible for our students 💫

At Steel City Academy, we are building a powerful STEM learning environment on purpose and with intention 🔬✨ From launching new courses to creating hands-on STEM experiences and investing in meaningful professional development, this work is a true priority for our school community. A huge shout out to Ms. Brown’s Chemistry class for bringing science to life through their incredible Science Fair projects 🧪🔥 Our high school scholars dove deep into the scientific method and showcased their learning in creative and engaging ways: 🔍 Exploring how vinegar can transform an egg into a bouncy experiment 🦠 Investigating bacteria found on everyday surfaces 🌱 Studying how different types of light impact plant growth 🏈 Testing how air pressure affects the perfect spiral ...and so many more~! The level of curiosity, critical thinking, and confidence on display was something special. 💡 Thank you to Ms. Brown for designing and facilitating such a meaningful learning experience, and to our students for showing what it looks like to lead with creativity, inquiry, and passion. Drop some love for our young scientists in the comments 👇🏽🔥

This past week, Steel City Academy proudly welcomed five new members into our National Honor Society chapter! 🎉✨ Join us in celebrating David, Cyriah, Amari, Khloe, and Ashunte — scholars who truly represent what it means to lead with excellence. Through teacher recommendations, a rigorous application process, and transcripts that reflect strong academic achievement, these students have demonstrated a consistent commitment to scholarship, leadership, character, and service. We are so proud to welcome them into this prestigious community of leaders 🔥 We are also excited to continue growing this legacy of excellence as we look ahead to launching our National Junior Honor Society chapter next year — creating even more opportunities for our younger scholars to lead and shine 🌟 A heartfelt thank you to our NHS Advisors, Mrs. Haddad and Ms. Fairley, for their leadership and for creating such a meaningful induction experience for our students. We are also deeply grateful to our NHS Faculty Council — Ms. Cavanaugh, Mrs. Moss, Mr. Surney, Mrs. Combs, and Mrs. McCullum — for their partnership and dedication throughout the process. As well as Principal Pratt, Ms. Kirley, Mr. Moore, Coach Kelly and Ms. Scott for their participation in the ceremony for our students. Congratulations again to our newest inductees — your future is bright, and we cannot wait to see all you continue to accomplish 💫 Drop some love in the comments to celebrate these incredible scholars! 👏🏽🔥

Our 6th–8th grade scholars step into ILEARN testing tomorrow, Monday, April 27! ✨📚

At Steel City, this is a chance for our middle schoolers to rise to the moment, apply their thinking, and demonstrate the growth they’ve built all year 💪🏽🧠

Here’s how we can support them:
✔️ Prioritize a full night of rest 💤
✔️ Be on time and ready to start strong ⏰
✔️ Fuel up with a good breakfast 🍎
✔️ Walk in focused and confident ✨

We are incredibly proud of our scholars and staff 🔥 for the dedication, discipline, and growth they’ve shown. Now it’s time to put it all into action 💫

Let’s go, Steel City 🔥

At Steel City, we work hard, then play hard! 🔥

The celebration comes after the hard work, and yesterday our 2nd graders did exactly that! Students who had perfect attendance and successfully completed IREAD had the opportunity to spend Friday at Chuck E. Cheese playing with friends and experiencing so much JOY!

A huge thank you to Ms. Walker for planning a special experience for our 2nd graders. We are so proud of our students 🎉✨

The love of science is alive and growing in our elementary classrooms! 🔬💚

Our 2nd graders have a very special new friend… meet Emma the Turtle! 🐢✨ What an incredible opportunity for our students to learn about life in a real, hands-on way. From exploring the differences between reptiles and amphibians, to understanding energy sources, to building responsibility through caring for a living animal… this is learning that sticks.

Moments like these spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and bring science to life in the most meaningful ways.
Check out Emma and send her some love! 🐢💫

At Steel City, we value the power of joyful, rigorous learning in action every day, in every class 📚✨

Our Middle School English scholars in Ms. Cavanaugh's class were on the move, diving into literacy through interactive stations focused on making inferences. From rich discussions and thoughtful debates with partners, students were bringing texts to life in meaningful ways 💬🧠

Meanwhile, our 9th grade scholars are immersed in To Kill a Mockingbird—grappling with complex themes, making connections, and engaging deeply with a text that continues to shape conversations across generations. l 📖🔥 🔥

At Steel City, we set clear priorities and align our time, energy, and decisions to bring them to life and this year, STEM has been front and center! 🔬✨

From investing deeply in math professional development, to launching new K–12 science courses, hosting Family STEM Night, starting ourr Math Counts Club, and engaging in interdisciplinary STEM PLCs, we are intentionally creating meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for our students every single day 🔥

Our 3rd graders are bringing science to life as they observe the butterfly life cycle right in their classroom 🐛➡️🦋 Five of our caterpillars have officially made it into their chrysalis stage… which means butterflies are coming VERY soon! There is nothing more powerful than watching curiosity, wonder, and learning unfold in real time. This is STEM at Steel City 💫

This week marks Say Something Week in schools across the country! 💚 This important week is all about empowering students to recognize warning signs, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and look out for one another. It reinforces the idea that student voice matters and that together, we can create a safe, supportive community for all.

Yesterday, our Student Council led a beautiful initiative in honor of Upstander Day ✨ Student Council members selected a trusted adult in the building to surprise and recognize as an Upstander—someone who listens, steps in, speaks up, and takes action to support others, especially in moments when it matters most.

Check out these special moments as students honored the staff members who make our school a place where everyone feels seen, supported, and safe 💫

Today we are celebrating the incredible women who keep our school running with excellence, heart, and purpose 💐

Happy Administrative Professionals Day to Ms. Wallace, Mama Moore, and Auntie Billie ✨

Mama Moore is the heartbeat of our community. Her love, care, and steady presence create a sense of home for everyone who walks through our doors. She shows up for our students and staff in ways that truly matter.

Auntie Billie models tenacity and excellence every single day. Her ability to execute at a high level, stay organized, and keep everything moving forward is nothing short of extraordinary.

Ms. Wallace brings unmatched creativity and vision to everything she touches. From beautiful designs to unforgettable student experiences, she makes our school feel vibrant, intentional, and full of joy.

Together, they are the engine behind so much of what makes Steel City special. The details, the care, the consistency, the love… it does not happen without them.

Join us in showing them some love in the comments 💛👇🏽

#AdministrativeProfessionalsDay #SteelCityStories #WeCelebrateWhatWeValue

🎉🎓 HUGE congratulations to Aubrey!!! 🎓🎉

We are beyond proud to share that Aubrey, a 10th grader in our Purdue NW squad, has been awarded a FULL scholarship to the University of Notre Dame 2026 Summer Scholars Pre-College Program!

This highly competitive program draws applicants from across the country and around the world, with just a 26% acceptance rate. Aubrey earned her spot AND a full $5,000 scholarship 🙌🏽🔥

This summer, she will:
✨ Earn college credit
✨ Live on campus in Notre Dame dorms
✨ Experience a transformative, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

This is exactly what we mean when we talk about creating experiences and opportunities that ensure our students have access to college, trade school, or the military after graduation. This is the work. 💫

We are so proud of you, Aubrey! Your hard work, brilliance, and dedication continue to shine bright 💛

Shoutout to Mr. Moore for an incredible letter of recommendation and to Ms. Moss for guiding students through the application process every step of the way 👏🏽

This is what it looks like when purpose meets opportunity. Let’s show Aubrey some love in the comments! 🔥💛 #SteelCityStories