STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
But Saturday at Julian Middle School? It may have very well stood for fun with a cool purpose.
Oak Park Education Network’s STEAM Fest once again needed both the gym and the commons area to allow elementary school-aged youngsters the opportunity to use their five senses to interact with all five categories.
Over here in the commons was a set of tables configured in an oval where parents and their kids could learn how to solder to create an electric blinkie, which looks a lot like a Christmas ornament.
Over there was Fenwick High School’s Women’s STEAM Coalition and Environmental Club, which taught the young’uns how to build a paper helicopter.
In the gym, the guys at the Reptile Dan table allowed snakes to slither around their hands, scaring the bejeezus out of a reporter who wandered by.
Kids at Northern Illinois University’s table amused themselves with the purple electric charges of a glass plasma ball. Overhead, music boomed thanks to a DJ.
Nearby, there was the Oak Park and River Forest High School Women in STEM and Enviro Club.
“I want to study environmental science, so being able to talk about the club and the activities we do with the community is really fun,” said senior Jacob Sell.
His sophomore classmate, Evelyn Wells, said she attended events just like this when she was a kid. Call Saturday her opportunity to give back.
“It was really nice to see so many different branches of STEAM that really demonstrate what you can do in STEAM fields and get kids interested, because this is the future generation,” she said.
Latonia Baker is executive director of the Oak Park Education Network, and she said the goal of the event is to inspire the next generation of scientists, innovators and engineers by providing fun and engaging hands-on experiences with STEAM education.
The event is in its third year, but Baker was clear that this year, it’s STEAM, with an A. Before, it was STEM.
“The A changes everything for us,” she said. “We use A for creative expression, cognitive thinking skills, creative problem solving, and that’s what we add.
“We always want our exhibitors to have some fun, and have hands-on projects, where the kids can get involved and learning by doing.”