Wilkinson Elementary earns Florida's first national STEM certificate

The 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."