Posted January 2023
在所有年级的学生在Kyrene de la Estrella will soon have a new opportunity to participate in activities exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM). Assistant Principal Sladjana DeAngelo was recently named a recipient of the Equity in STEAM 2.0 grant totaling $2,500 from YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix, Intel and the Salt River Project.
“I am very excited for students at Estrella,” said DeAngelo. “Receiving this grant will allow our students to experience some hands-on STEAM activities and inspire them to think outside of the box.”
The grant will be used to purchase materials for twoMakerspace on Wheelscarts: one for students in kindergarten through second grade and one for students in third through fifth grades. Each cart will be equipped with moldable raw materials like clay, cardboard, masking tape, construction paper, wooden dowels and craft sticks. Snap Circuit Boards will also be included in the carts to allow students to safely learn the basics of electrical engineering.
“Our goal is to inspire our students to be problem solvers, analytical thinkers, collaborators and overall future change makers, which also is aligned with the Portrait of a Kyrene Kid,” said DeAngelo. “We have a very diverse campus at Estrella and our students need to be exposed to STEAM opportunities during their school day to see their future potential within STEAM careers.”
Once the carts have been purchased and make their way into classrooms, DeAngelo hopes to see every student participate in STEAM challenge activities. Eventually, the goal is for the program to expand so that all classrooms have opportunities to engage in long-term, complex STEAM activities.
Schools from across Arizona may apply for their projects to be funded by the Equity in STEAM Initiative, provided they enable the exploration of the world of STEAM, introduce culturally relevant STEAM activities and grow interested in STEAM-related learning pathways and careers. Each year, up to twenty grants are awarded.
