Dillsboro, Manchester Elementary Schools Join for STEM Enrichment Day

Students participated in various activities and presentations centered around STEM, art and literacy.

(Aurora, Ind.) - Students from Dillsboro and Manchester Elementary Schools participated in various activities and presentations centered around STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), alongside art and literacy. This event extended learning beyond the classroom walls and provided students with non-traditional experiences that helped them see the multitude of possibilities that await them in the future. “As both buildings work toward STEM certification through the IDOE, this was a great opportunity to showcase relationships with community partners and celebrate tremendous growth in STEM teaching and learning”, said Kyle Miller, Dillsboro Elementary School Principal.

“This is the best day of my life!” said Abby, a second grade student, while enjoying the various activity stations. Activity stations ranged from police dog training, wind and air energy demonstrations, petting zoos, pH level testing, martial arts, and more.

Local author, Bobbi Cornett, explained the process of writing and publishing a book. Students had the opportunity to pre-order her next book, Where Will Taulbee Go Today? The Discovery Factory allowed students to build and explore, while the Imagination Playground focused on problem-solving, shapes, balance, and design. Students also had the opportunity to build marble tracks and compete in races with the Dillsboro Arts.

Cynthia Basham with Five Star Technology Solutions hosted a station where the students learned about binary code and how to use it to store information on computers. They then created binary bracelets with two colors of beads to represent their initials in binary code. Austin Ridlen, the music teacher at Manchester and Dillsboro, assisted.

Dillsboro and Manchester Elementary Schools would like to thank the Aurora Lions Club and Manchester Township Trustees for their donation that helped cover expenses for this day, along with IDOE for covering the costs of the Kids’ Discovery Factory. They would also like to thank the cafeteria staff at the elementary schools for preparing sack lunches, the bus drivers for transporting MES students to DES, and the community for coming together to make this day of experiences possible for students!

“It was an amazing day to watch the students interact and be engaged in STEM related activities. Mr. Sickmeier and Mrs. Caudill did an excellent job creating the schedule and communicating with the presenters. We are already discussing what we will be offering the students next year,” said Mrs. Bailey, Manchester Elementary School Principal.