Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West
All-boy middle-high school in Baltimore, MD, USA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West, was an all-boy public middle/high school located in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The school's focus was on Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.[2]
| Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
1500 Harlem Avenue
Street[1] , 21217 United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°17′49.66″N 76°38′27.87″W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Closed | 2024 |
| School district | Baltimore City Public Schools |
| School number | 364 |
| Principal | LaWanda Wilson[2] |
| Grades | 6-12 |
| Gender | All-boys |
| Enrollment | 232[2] (2018) |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Colors | Navy, Gold, White |
| Team name | Rockets[3] |
| Website | City Schools Site |
History
The school was an extension of the Bluford Drew Jemison Math Science Technology Academy initially opened in 2007 as a charter middle school, and named for African Americans who had found success in STEM fields: Guion S. Bluford and Mae Jemison, and Charles R. Drew.[4] This original school was located at 1130 N. Caroline St. in the Gay Street neighborhood of Baltimore.[5] This original BDJ lost its Charter license in 2013 (becoming a traditional school) due to low academic performance and financial issues, before shuttering for good at the end of 2014.[6][7]
Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West was launched as a spin off in 2010.[8] Initially co-located within the Diggs-Johnson Middle School at 1300 Herkimer St, the school moved to the former Walbrook High School at 2000 Edgewood Street in the Fairmont neighborhood in 2010 when Diggs-Johnson was closed to make room for the Southwest Baltimore Charter School.[8] However, by November 2013, the school board had decided to empty the Walbrook campus entirely, and BDJ West was recommended for closure along with its predecessor.[9] Community protests kept it from closure and relocation, but the board did revoke its charter in December of the same year, announcing it would look for a new operator.[10]
In fall 2023, principal LaWanda Wilson proposed a merger with neighboring Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts,[11] the move was then approved by the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners in January 2024.[12]
