September 7, 2021
Referendum Dollars at Work: Beveridge Elementary Actively Pursuing STEM Certification
Students learning through hands-on projects with robotics and experiments
(Gary, IND) – Beveridge Elementary School continues to conduct multiple hands-on STEM projects with students in an effort to engage scholars in a non-traditional learning environment. Last week, 3rd-graders learned how to manipulate and control robots through coding and 4th graders dove into the science behind weather.
The two-day weather workshop was conducted by representatives from Starbase Indiana which included simulations, logical thinking, and experiments that allowed scholars to understand the scientific reasoning behind storms and tornadoes. Upon completion, students were able to create tornadoes in a bottle and lightning.
Part of the language listed in referendum that Gary residents voted in favor of in November 2020 lists several schools in the district receiving STEM Certification. Beveridge along with McCullough Academy and Bailly STEM Academy are in the process to become certified STEM schools through the Indiana Department of Education. Meanwhile, the Gary Community School Corporation is working to enhance the learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines across the district.
Dr. Paige McNulty, Manager of the Gary Community School Corporation share her delight in how the programs are progressing at the schools.
“Careers in STEM start with exposure at an early age, and that’s what we are doing by introducing as many options as we can at the elementary and middle school levels,” said McNulty, “It is also reassuring to taxpayers that dollars from the referendum as being allocated as promised.
“The students are excited to learn,” said Angela Grayson, Assistant Principal at Beveridge Elementary. “It is an honor to be able to provide them the resources and experiences that are preparing them for potential careers.”
“Ultimately our goal is to create pathways to post-secondary readiness and career opportunities through STEM,” added McNulty, “Our teachers and partners have been successful at deploying problem-based and inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning in the classroom, and there’s much more to come.”
