BY AMANDA PEVEY
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
National Stem Day was held on November 8th, 2021 at Airport Road Intermediate School. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. ARIS’ theme this year was CAUTION: Future leaders under construction.
The road to success is always under construction. The STEM expo was also a ROCK YOUR SCHOOL DAY as well. Students and teachers were able to dress up as a Rock Star or a Construction worker for the day. Their minds were under construction and as a rock star you’re learning like one, too. Rock your school day is a day where educators are encouraged to join in the movement to create outside-the-box experiences for their students. Marcia Stephens, Principal of ARIS, was over the entire STEM Expo event.
Community partners were invited to experience what STEM Day is all about. These included Tracy Wright who is the STEM Coordinator for Elmore County Schools; Jamie Brown, the V.P. of Relationship Development with MAX Credit Union and on the Board of Directors of the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; Lindsey Batrez is the Branch Manager for MAX Credit Union at the Cobbs Ford Road Branch and one of the Ambassadors of the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; DJ Taylor, Administrator for River Region Vision Source and on the Board of Directors for the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; Deanna McKinley is an instructor of The School of Education for Huntingdon College; Ayena Jackson is the Director of Middle School education for Elmore County Schools;
Wendell Saxon is on the Board of education representing District 2; Ann Harper is the Economic Director for the City of Millbrook and on the Board of Directors of the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; Brenda Dennis is the Executive Director for the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; Robert Fales is the owner of Family Home Furniture and on the Board of Directors for the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; Kevin Kelley is the Service Manager for Garner Electric and on the Board of Directors for Millbrook Chamber of Commerce; Steve McKenzie is the Director of Elementary Education Department for K-4.
Six out of the 16 Board members of the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce and one of the 16 Ambassadors attended the STEM Day event at ARIS.
Each of the partners participated in a Breakout Construction Conundrum before they had to visit the learning construction sites throughout the building. The partners were split into three groups to solve the game. ARIS students Tori Kelley, Lincoln Molander, and Camille Cofer spoke in front of the community partners welcoming them and also explaining about the STEM game they had to do in order to proceed to leave the room.
The Breakout Construction Conundrum was a great learning opportunity for all the adults that attended. All the partners had a great time learning but were unsuccessful in finishing the game because in order to solve the construction conundrum, you had to think outside-the-box to break out.
The staff at ARIS did an outstanding job in preparation and planning for the STEM Expo event. This did not go unnoticed by Principal Marcia Stephens and Assistant Principal Sharon Earl as well as all of the community partners that attended the event. Many of the teachers and staff spent time after school and on the weekends to set up their classrooms to make the learning experience for the children an amazing experience for them.
Each room was set up in different themes, and it was up to the teacher as to what they wanted to do for their classroom. The P.E. Department did a superb job by bringing back the 80s. They incorporated multiplication facts into a P.E. game for the students. Some themes in 3rd grade included a Camping Experience, Home of the Free because of the Brave, Being a Rock Star, Circus, It’s a Mystery, STAR WARS, and Airport Road Emergency Room (The Array Operation). Some themes in 4th grade included STEAM glow games, Learning is a treasure (pirates), Day at Disney, Space adventure, and an Under Construction room.
The teachers and staff pushed themselves to step out of their comfort zone and they worked hard to take the ordinary and make the content extraordinary for the students.
Ashley Winchester and Reba Clark spoke to the EAN. “We’re stemming it up today! This year we chose the M, for Math. We’re teaching our 3rd graders multiplication and there is a lot of introduction strategies before we know the facts. We are focused on mastering the strategies, the introduction part before we can move on,” said Winchester. “Actually, on the ACAP, it’s a standard, they have to know the Array’s and different strategies.
Technically, it’s not even an objective to actually know the actual facts, they have to know the strategy. Like using ones they already know to find the larger ones, and to be able to draw it out as well,” said Clark. “I just want to thank the community partners for coming out to observe everything going on in the building. Today was a great success because we had a lot of participation from our teachers. The challenge was for them to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. The purpose of this is for the teachers to enter a STEM concept in the classroom either through science, technology, engineering and math.
“It helps the children to use a lot of different strategies, help them critically, think outside the box and to get their hands dirty. There were many fun activities all throughout the building,” Clar said.
“I want to thank all of the teachers, as well as the support staff here at ARIS. They all worked very hard and my heart is smiling. I am very blessed for the staff I have here at this school.,” said Stephens.
National STEM Day at ARIS school was a huge success for everyone that attended. All the students had the opportunity to be engaged in the unique lessons, and the staff did an excellent job.
Remember, to go down the road to success just know it’s always under construction. Parents, if you have a student attending Airport Road Intermediate School, please make sure you follow their private group page on Facebook: www.facebook.com/airportroadintermediateschool,millbrookal.com for any upcoming events. Please also visit their website at: www.airportroad.eci.schoolinsites.com. SEE MANY MORE PHOTOS BELOW!
