Boardman students show off STEAM projects at event

By jessica Hardin

jhardin@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

The range of STEAM projects on display Friday at Glenwood Junior High School’s Family Night encapsulates the vastness of the intersection between science and art.

STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math – “really includes everyone. Every single subject can be involved in this,” said technology teacher Tim Harker.

Creations of Harker’s Makers Club, which range from 3D printed figures to a large wooden catapult, were on display.

At one station, eight-grade student Richard Booth demonstrated how to make a stop-motion video. He molded a piece of red clay into slightly different figures and took photos of each change.

“The more frames you add and the more detailed and complex you go, the better it will look,” Booth said.

He posts some of his stop-motion videos on his YouTube channel.

At another table, seventh-grader Savanna Watkins and eighth-grader Kate Pendleton were demonstrating how to use three-dimensional pens. Harker and art teacher Chelsea Wisbar purchased the pens using a grant from the Boardman Schools Foundation for Educational Excellence.

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, but I never really thought about being an art teacher. Seeing all the cool things you get to do during the day really shows you how cool of a job it would be,” Pendleton said.

To kick off the evening, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt CEO Jim Brown presented the Handel’s Aspire Award to 16 students. The award, which is in its first year, recognizes students who demonstrate an improvement in grades, attendance or behavior, explained school resource officer Phil Merlo, who helped present the awards.

“We also wanted a night where we could recognize kids that may not get recognized for things. And that’s what the Aspire award is all about. It’s amazing to see the smiles on peoples’ faces and all of the excitement it brings,” said Glenwood Principal Bart Smith.

The award reinforces behavior that will serve students in high school and beyond, Brown said.

“If we can maximize [positive reinforcement] with kids this age, it’s going to make it easier for them to transition into high school. ... At the end of the day we’re just trying to make good citizens out of these kids,” Brown said.

In addition to providing this unique recognition, the event does the job of bringing families into school, said Superintendent Tim Saxton.

Ken Timmings brought his son, who is in the fourth grade at Stadium Drive Elementary.

“I own a technology company. ... I can’t find any employees to speak of because schools in the last 25 to 30 years gave up on tech and shop, so this thing is very near and dear to my heart,” Timmings said.

Wisbar hopes students and their parents see how art fits into STEM education.

Art is “mixed in with everything, I hope they see that it’s all tied in. ... I hope this makes parents aware that we need art in school,” Wisbar said.