By JONAH LOSSIAH
ONE FEATHER STAFF
Cherokee Elementary School (CES) held its third annual STEAM night on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 14.
STEAM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. These events are hosted to support the fields through fun booths, games, and presentations that demonstrate skills in an easily consumable way for young kids.
Cherokee Elementary School (CES) held its third annual STEAM night on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 14. STEAM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Students are shown working on a terrarium. (JONAH LOSSIAH/One Feather photo)
Teachers are instructed to pick a subject and idea to present at the event. This year, you could choose anything from cultural crafts, robot toys, and a terrarium station.
“I’ve been doing this a long, long time and trends come and go in education, but science, technology, engineering and math along with making sure you’re incorporating arts is critical to be integrated to make our kids not only future ready, but to allow them to reach the goals they want to reach,” said Cherokee Central Schools Superintendent Michael Murray.
Not only has the setup grown over the last two years, but now the teachers and administrators better know what works.”
Donna Robertson, CES assistant principal, said, “It was really smooth this year. Because our teachers, what they do is they decide what activity they want to have for their grade level, and then they do that activity with their students at some point before we have our STEAM night so they know exactly how to do it.”
Another important aspect of the event is that the teachers incorporate what they have prepared in their classrooms. Not only does this give them a chance to practice, but it also insures that the children get a closer look at the experiment or lesson.”
“What I’ve learned to make it as smooth as possible is to definitely start early, have a strong committee, and basically go back and make sure they are doing what’s expected … and having teachers that thoroughly involved in the education of the children,” said Robertson.
Chris Wilmoth, a teacher at CCS, also helped to organize the event.
“We want the parents to be really involved, we want the kids to be really involved…we’ve got to show them that science and technology is not just work, but it can be fun as well.”
The staff at CCS was planning for a sizable showing during the two hour event, and they were not disappointed.”
“There’s a really strong support for the kids, especially in the elementary school. But a lot of it is too that we’re really trying to have a focus on science and technology here at our school and really promote that,” said Wilmoth
CCS takes pride in their STEAM night, and Superintendent Murray says there has been an enhanced focus of academics events of this sort.
“Saying that we’re Braves fans and all the support we’re getting out in the community is so important for me. But, I don’t want anyone making excuses for children not being able to make their goals. And ,we all need to work together. Seeing parents come to these events like they do the sporting events is not only encouraging to me, I think it’s going to help us set the bar for the future for our kids in this system.”
