Rose Elementary students, staff recognized for STEAM Showcase during January 10 meeting

Rose Principal Nanci Pass, fifth-graders Rachel Plummer and Annabelle Gillins, and staff Lori Nuno, Michael Sommese, Stella Rao, Peggy Bowen, Xuanthao Tran, Lisa Elizondo, and Jenny Katzen shared highlights and a project from the culminating event of their STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Showcase.

Nanci explained: “Our exploratory block, we started last year as a formal program. Our students twice a year choose an elective class and have a fall elective, that just finished with the showcase. Behind us we have “City of the Future,” or Future Cad, where each of the students had to create a different building (to be 3D printed), scale it, and design it for what it would look like in the future. … We have really done this about students creating ownership of their learning and having a choice in their learning, and really working toward 21st century learning skills.”

Students Rachel and Annabelle shared their joy participating in the elective “Dancing for ‘Hamilton’” with teacher Ashley Grilli.

“I’d just like to say thank you to all the teachers at Rose who helped to make the exploratory block possible,” Rachel said.

Annabelle added: “I LOVED it. Dancing was really fun because we got to experience different dance moves.”

To conclude, Nanci shared another benefit of the program: “One of the great things about this is it lets our teachers show their talents as well. Mr. Sommese actually sang for all of us. So they get excited because they get to teach their passion and it comes through to the kids as well.”  

​For more information about the STEAM Showcase, read the article here.

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