Students and families of the East Meadow School District enjoyed an evening of 21st-century learning during the district’s inaugural STEAM Night, held at East Meadow High School.

Throughout the building, elementary and middle school students enjoyed the over 70 educational activities with their families, and explored the burgeoning disciplines of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. As an example, they learned how to code Dash and Dot robots to control their movements, examined constellations in the night sky in the STAR Lab, designed levers to propel a Wiffle ball as high as possible, created bracelets using binary code, turned ordinary objects into instruments, engineered mini-sailboats to travel across a body of water, constructed two- and three-dimensional shapes out of toothpicks and marshmallows, created beautiful artwork using magnets and paint, and worked with 3-D printers.

Guests also explored different STEAM-related careers, learned about the research projects high school students have been undertaking, and discovered how to become involved in the district’s science research program.

Special thanks go to Director of Mathematics and Science, Debra Harley, Nassau BOCES, the Cornell Cooperative Extension and the district’s STEAM Committee for organizing a successful night. Similarly, this event’s success hinged on the over 100 district teachers who planned and administered each of the evening’s events.