- March 26, 2025
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Principal Susan Nations receives flowers from STEAM coach Tessa Healy.
Photo by Ian Swaby6th Grader Juniper Buretz and her mom Lindsay Buretz perform an activity.
Photo by Ian SwabyKindergartener Elijah Cleveland launches a rocket from a straw.
Photo by Ian SwabyPre-K student Sydney Chesnoff experiments with vinegar and baking soda.
Photo by Ian Swaby5th Grader Aidan Dwyer performs with Wilkinson's Modern Band.
Photo by Ian SwabyAaron and Caroline Rickerson watch as their son, Kindergartener Troup Rickerson, plays an educational game.
Photo by Ian Swaby6th grader Yacek Suri and VPK student Evelyn Suri perform a science drawing activity.
Photo by Ian SwabyTeacher Michelle Scotese, fifth grader Abigail Munoz-Briones, second grader David Munoz-Briones, and teacher Tessa Healy take to the stage. "Can you believe I didn't speak English when I first started at Wilkinson?..." Abigail Munoz-Briones told attendees. "I want others who are not native English speakers to know you can be this confident one day too."
Photo by Ian SwabyStefanie Lynch accepts the award, shaking hands with officials including school board members Tom Edwards and Robyn Marinelli, and Superintendent of Schools Terry Connor.
Photo by Ian SwabyLaura Pardee of Bay Village, one of the school's community partners, accepts her award from Assistant Principal Tammy Miles-Brown.
Photo by Ian SwabyAssistant Principal Tammy Miles-Brown praises the efforts of Principal Susan Nations.
Photo by Ian SwabyWilkinson Elementary's STEM teachers who were honored included Kayly Ward, Angel Shideler, Tessa Healy, Michelle Scotese, Brianna Maltby, Deanna Snider, Vickie Schaefer, Isabella Magro, Kristy Wall and Stefanie Lynch.
Photo by Ian SwabyPre-K student Elijah Adamo experiments with baking soda and vinegar.
Photo by Ian SwabyShells and other objects cover one of the event tables.
Photo by Ian Swaby5th Grader Nathalie Carcamo Moreno, a speaker during the ceremony, explores forensic science at an event table.
Photo by Ian SwabyFirst grader Sovereign Osceola plays with a remote-controlled sphere.
Photo by Ian SwabyStudents in the Wilkinson Chorus offer a performance.
Photo by Ian SwabyTaacher Tessa Healy, fifth grader Zayn Fielding, teacher Michelle Scotese and first grader Zeke Fielding take to the stage.
Photo by Ian SwabyThe National Certificate for STEM Excellence requires a total of five teachers to commit to the certification program.
However, Wilkinson Elementary School honored 10 teachers the night of Feb. 6, as the first school in Florida, and one of 120 in the country, to receive the certificate.
Held in conjunction with the school's Family STEAM Night, which featured various activities across the campus, the ceremony also honored 15 community partners including clubs, associations, foundations, and educational and religious institutions.
The process has taken two years to complete, and the school also worked with the certification agency to create a campuswide plan for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education.
"A true STEAM integration program on a campus takes every teacher," said Principal Susan Nations.
She noted the school is a Title I school, with over 70% of students requiring free and reduced lunches.
"It helps give them those experiences to fill that gap and really connect the real world to their learning," she said.
Students took to the stage to describe their experiences with STEM education.
Fifth grader Nathalie Carcamo Moreno described activities at the school, including working with a student club to create robots, program drones, and program AI to read facial expressions.
"We have to think creatively each step of the way and communicate with our team to problem-solve," she said.
Afterwards, Superintendent Terry Connor complimented the students, stating the certification "takes a lot of work" and is a "rigorous process."
"Everyone who thinks that we don't teach kids how to think, I think we showed them tonight we know what critical thinking is, and STEM is just one way to accomplish that," he said. "It's not just the science, the technology and the engineering and the math, but we're preparing kids to think, to solve big problems."
