STEAM education rises at Salisbury-Elk Lick SD

In 2015, Salisbury Elk-Lick SD launched a STEAM program to inspire students to learn in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Since its inception, elementary students have enjoyed numerous learning opportunities such as visits from the Carnegie Science Center during which students explored solar power, electricity and rocketry using K’NEX kits, and a visit from the Mobile Ag Lab, where students had the opportunity to do science experiments. Other special activities have included a “Light the Night” event where fourth-grade students designed and wired flashlights and circuit houses and displayed their knowledge in a community event. Students in kindergarten through second grade have explored the sciences through sprouting seeds, incubating eggs and watching them hatch and observing caterpillars during their transformation to monarch butterflies. They have also gone on field trips to the Pittsburgh Zoo and Cove Run Farms Corn Maze, and studied catapults with Deer Valley YMCA staff. The activities are funded by donations to the school’s educational foundation and input from parents and the community helps to determine the activities provided. Learn more on the STEAM program’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/selsd.steam/.