Last month, hundreds of community members enjoyed an evening at Village School filled with activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM).

Curious young learners explored topics such as computer coding, residential construction, bottle music, origami, art in nature and the solar system, robotics, and the latest science project fad of slime-making. The event provided a career-fair type awareness of job possibilities in a variety of fields.

This combined-school effort was made possible thanks to numerous parent and community volunteers, students, and staff members. Gorham High School and Falmouth High School’s combined FIRST Robotics Team 172, The Northern Force, drew an excited crowd that could catch a beach ball launched by their award-winning robot.

The Gorham Middle School Robotics team also posed a challenge for young engineers. Sappi senior research scientist Rachel Kaul and her husband taught children how to make bouncy balls, USM STEM volunteer Mitchell Mason posed engineering situations with “Motion Commotion,” USM professor Bob Kuech offered exploration with frogs and tadpoles, scientist Stefania Strzalkowska and her GHS daughter Olivia Paruk encouraged children to think about the connection between birds’ beaks, feet, and food sources with “Best Beaks, Best Eats,” and Gorham Sand and Gravel’s Mark Curtis and Curt Peffer helped future designers explore residential construction technology and heavy equipment.

Fifth grade students recognized the need for certain activities. Caroline Morrell and Kaitlyn Nichols did all of the planning and preparation for a slime-making station. Elsie Bradshaw’s station “Art in Nature” encouraged artists to sketch animal mounts in a “Science Observation Notebook,” designed by volunteer Lisa Williams.

Staff members and some of their family members offered a variety of learning opportunities. Narragansett teacher Jacqueline Durant-Harthorne and her twin daughters offered “Estimation Destination,” Jen Stowbridge and her father, Marc, provided a look into “Messier Objects” in the solar system and an astronomical art project, Village teacher Kim Meggison’s mother, Adma Willis, and niece, Hailey Coffin, invited families to create designs with origami, Courtney Smith challenged mathematicians to “Flex Your Math Muscle,” and Casie Grady prompted engineers to design marble mazes.

Teachers Kim Wright and Laurie Kenny photographed families in action. Village librarian Winston Barton packed the Computer Lab with families writing code, and music teacher Jen Precopio encouraged children to experiment with how levels of water can create different sounds in “Bottle Music.”

Volunteers put in numerous hours to help this event run smoothly. Many thanks go to both schools’ parent groups and to GHS Key Club students for lending much-needed hands in the preparation and implementation of STEAM events. If you are interested in hosting an activity for STEAM 2018, email kim.meggison@gorhamschools.org.