National Inventors Hall of Fame
STEM High School
Welcome to NIHF STEM High School
Welcome to National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) STEM High School, the #1 high school in the Akron City School District and a proud recipient of a 5-star rating from the Ohio Department of Education. Here, education goes far beyond traditional classrooms as students dive directly into real-world problem-solving and creative discovery. Through personalized mentorship and specialized pathways in Biotechnology, Cybersecurity, and Environmental Engineering, we empower the next generation of innovators to build a bright future.
NIHF STEM High School at Robinson CLC
1156 4th Ave.,
Akron, OH 44306
Dina Popa
Campus Principal
NIHF STEM High School
P: 330.761.7965
F: 330.761.7966
Krista Bowden
Academy Principal
NIHF STEM High School
P: 330.761.7965
F: 330.761.7966
Vision
In everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo; we believe in thinking, teaching and responding differently. The way we challenge the status quo is to provide authentic, innovative and rigorous learning experiences that inspire creativity, foster inventive/critical thinking, and cultivate leadership and problem-solving skills in such a way as to promote wellness and citizenship through science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Philosophy
Scientific inquiry and technological design are the cornerstones of instruction for our school. Our learning environments focus on personalized learning and teamwork skills while incorporating engineering, personal finance, music, art, humanities and other content areas. Learning Coaches act as advisers where they work with small groups of learners to set goals and identify rigorous coursework to meet those goals. State-of-the-art technology is used to achieve academic excellence, creative instruction and 21st-century skills.
Application Process
Families may apply to attend NIHF STEM High School in the fall prior to the ninth- and 10th-grade year. No applications are accepted for grades 11 and 12. NIHF STEM Middle School eighth-grade families do not need to apply in the lottery; they will automatically roll to NIHF STEM High School in June. The application process is lottery-based. Students from both APS and non-APS schools are accepted in the lottery. These applications are accepted through the APS Open Enrollment Department, akronschools.com/enrollment.
The open enrollment application window for current eighth- or ninth-graders looking to enter NIHF STEM High School in the fall of 2027 is October 1-December 15, 2026.
Academic Programming
The STEM academic programming features a rigorous foundation of honors, Advanced Placement (AP), and college courses for our core credits. Through our AP classes, learners engage with nationally recognized curriculum that challenges them academically and prepares them for the demands of higher education. Additionally, our comprehensive college course offerings allow students to dual-enroll and earn university credits early, giving them a significant academic and financial head start before they even graduate.
Beyond the core subjects, elective credits are available in the arts and humanities with engaging courses such as orchestra, band, and AP Art. For their STEM electives, students immerse themselves in one of our specialized pathways. Keep reading to learn more about our STEM opportunities.
Biotechnology
This pathway is designed to give students a comprehensive introduction to the scientific thinking, concepts and laboratory research techniques currently used in the field of biotechnology. Students will also learn about biomimicry, a cutting edge approach that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges, especially in the medical field, by emulating nature’s patterns and strategies. Possible careers include lab assistant, chemical technician and microbiologist.
Cybersecurity
This pathway is designed to give students a comprehensive introduction to cybersecurity and the practice of protecting systems, networks and programs from digital attacks. Students will also learn about the integration of artificial intelligence with network defense aimed at assessing, changing or destroying sensitive information. Possible careers include information security analyst, computer network architect, network administrator, compliance analyst and database analyst.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineers solve problems that help clean up our environment by focusing on air, water and land quality issues. Environmental engineers develop solutions to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health and pollution control. Students in this pathway will study the design process and learn new and exciting ways renewable energy can make the Earth more sustainable.
