McNeal Elementary hosts STEAM Night

By Liz Ramos
| 8:45 a.m. April 19, 2024

First grader Anna Lum blows a ball through a maze at the wind powered maze activity.

East County
Schools

Clayton Medford, a sixth grader at R. Dan Nolan Middle School, stood beside Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School third grader Jeremy Hoyos and showed him how to use a controller to move a robot.

Medford, who spent at least 100 hours building his robot, was showcasing it during McNeal Elementary's STEAM Night April 18. The robots were available to promote the school's VEX program.

Medford said it was a new experience to be able to share his robot with McNeal Elementary students. Medford attended Robert E. Willis Elementary School.

"It's cool to see these kids trying to have fun with the robot I spent hours building," he said.

The robotics station was one of several STEAM Night activities, including making paper airplanes, coding, gardening, constructing a container for stuffed animals and measuring heart rates.

Amber Ward watches as her first grader Grayson Ward tests his paper airplane.

Fourth grader Parker Poplaski and fifth grader Ethan Drackett are hard at work constructing a container that could carry a stuffed animal.

Fifth grader Hannah Wojtkowski says she wanted to make a container that would allow someone to carry a stuffed animal with ease while also being comfortable for the stuffed animal.

Students' artwork is on display throughout the hallway.

Third grader Jeremy Hoyos listens carefully as R. Dan Nolan Middle Schooler sixth grader explains how to use the controller to move the robot he created.

Third grader Avril Mordecai loves her new creation. "It looks normal when it's not spinning, but when it is spinning, it looks like a 'color-cane,'" she says.

Fourth grader Austin Conner hops along to the music in an African hopscotch.

Second grader Jase Piercy beams with pride about his artwork.

Kindergartner Zyla Jo Piercy shows off her artwork.

Second grader Calen Magnant is excited to see his plant grow. He says the plant station was his favorite because he likes dirt.

First grader Halle Huber uses a hula hoop to get her heart rate up so she can measure it as part of a STEAM activity.

author

Liz Ramos

Managing Editor Liz Ramos previously covered education and community for the East County Observer. Before moving to Florida, Liz was an education reporter for the Lynchburg News & Advance in Virginia for two years after graduating from the Missouri School of Journalism.