FORT RUCKER, Ala. (April 3, 2015) -- The month of March was a busy one for the students of Fort Rucker Elementary School as they embarked on a journey through their minds to tackle their creative side during STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Month.
Throughout the month, the children learned about the engineering process, had the chance to brainstorm ideas and inventions, and even got the opportunity to meet and talk to an actual inventor, Travis Perry, who is a Dothan resident and inventor of the Chord Buddy, and on March 27 the school hosted a culminating event with STEM Fest to reflect on everything the children had learned and accomplished.
"(STEM Fest) was a huge success," said Dr. Vicki Gilmer, FRES principal. "We had lots of enthusiasm from the kids, for sure, and they enjoyed showing off all of the great things that they accomplished with the engineering design process and all the things that they worked on all year."
Throughout the day, the students rotated through different stations and challenges that allowed them to exercise the skills they'd learned throughout the month, show off some of the inventions they created and just have fun, said Gilmer.
The different stations included different challenges, from engineering to building to brain challenges that the students had to overcome by applying what they'd learned to beat the challenge. The challenges included building a lunar lander and creating musical straws, to constructing a hoop glider or building a bridge.
The Ozark Robotics Team from Carroll High School came out to put on a demonstration with robots by remotely controlling them and even having them pick up different items with the flip of a switch. The children also got to try their hand at controlling the robots with the help of the team.
The students also had a chance to learn about electricity and how it's transmitted, as well as the dangers it can pose through a demonstration by the Pea River Electric Company. In the demonstration, Laura Thornton, Pea River Electric representative, showed the children how electricity transmits through different conductors, using two little glass likenesses of people that would glow red if touched to one of the power lines.
"The kids were just so excited because Friday was just a whole day of fun, brain challenges and engineering challenges. It was a great way to celebrate the week before they all took off for spring break," said the FRES principal. "I think they enjoyed putting (everything they learned) into action and actually getting to produce a product."
Some of the inventions the children produced ranged from self-operating pet feeders to solar-operated tools and gadgets, and more than 180 parents had the chance to see their children's inventions March 26 as they toured the school.
Gilmer said STEM Month is all about hands-on learning, which is necessary for children to learn in order to be ready for the world ahead.
"STEM Month is really a month of application," said the principal. "We talk about it a lot with the processes and the content throughout the year, but during the month they actually get to put all that together and apply it to create things and build things, to challenge ideas and improve upon them and design. It really gives them a chance to do all of that.
"This is a totally different world that we live in than when we grew up," she said. "You don't have to memorize anything anymore because you can find out information in less than 30 seconds with the Internet, so now children need to know how to problem solve and create. They have to have a higher set of thinking skills, and that's what we're dedicated to doing -- making them prepared for success in the future because that's what the future looks like now."
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