Students share STEM education with St. John

Published 12:07 am Saturday, December 2, 2017

East St. John Elementary School student Jai Gaines shows Jaida Reese, a student at Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science Magnet School, how to play the piano using bananas during the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District’s Family STEM Night.

GARYVILLE — Families, students and the entire community explored the wonders of science, technology, engineering and math at the St. John the Baptist Parish Public School District’s annual Family STEM Night.

The Nov. 16 event showcased STEM (science, technology, math and engineering) learning in the district’s schools and promoted the importance of STEM to parents and others.

“The district STEM night has been a very successful initiative lead by Ms. Rochelle Darville, a science teacher at West St. John High, and a team of various educators throughout the district,” said Garyville-Mt. Airy Math and Science School Principal Terran Perry, whose school hosted the event.

“I enjoy seeing kids and their families from throughout the district have fun with STEM. The amount of support from various STEM companies and institutions is impressive.”

Students from each school lead visitors in various hands-on STEM activities. Guests got to get their hands dirty making slime, play a banana piano and work on construction using Popsicle sticks.

In the cafeteria, students got to enjoy STEM activities provided by neighboring schools, universities and businesses in fields such as robotics, chemistry and biology.