From June 16–19 students in our community explored science in a fresh way through the Shaler Area School District STEAM Camp. The week provided students with a dynamic, hands-on learning experience that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
This year, 70 students participated in the camp, which is entirely self-sustaining through registration fees and partnerships. Each morning, students engaged in one of 12 unique sessions offered Monday through Thursday. Topics included cooking, 3D printing, engineering, design, and podcast creation, allowing students to explore a range of interests and develop new skills.
Afternoon activities are led by a variety of community partners and organizations, offering enrichment experiences beyond the classroom:
- The Pittsburgh Zoo introduced students to Brad the frog, Marabella the tarantula, and a 10-foot-long snake.
- The Carnegie Science Center worked with students to build and launch rockets.
- Mad Science engaged students with interactive science demonstrations
- Fit 4 Boxing empowered students to be strong mentally and physically with fitness activities
- Attack Theatre sparked creativity with movement-based arts experiences.
Students have had a dynamic and hands-on experience exploring all areas of STEM through engaging, creative, and high-energy activities. Some of the projects this week included:
- 3D printing custom cookie cutters, designing aprons with the vinyl cutter and heat press, and bringing it all together by rolling, cutting, and decorating cookies!
- Using GarageBand to create podcast commercials for original inventions, then building robot boxing rings and coding their robots to battle.
- Composing music with Spec Drums and coding melodies using the colors of the rainbow.
- Engineering and racing their custom race cars, investigating the science of dough, and of course, making and playing with SLIME!
STEAM Camp continues to reflect our district’s commitment to providing enhanced learning opportunities and engaging experiences aligned with our strategic priorities.
