Northport offers Vibrant STEM Center!

Northport VPK-8 School Northstar team offers middle grades students the opportunity to experience first hand the beauty of math, science, technology and engineering in a classroom designed specifically for learning about ingenious techniques in STEM. The STEM Center is centrally located in the school and offers students a wide range of hands on experiences with 21st century, cutting edge technological skills and a framework for delving deeper into STEM careers. Recently, students cohorted on the school patio to build laser security systems and promote laser demo’s outside. Students brainstormed, designed briefs, worked in teams, designed a matrix and built an engineering portfolio. Students used unique skills to make laser pointers made from mirrors and receivers to protect a made up security situation using models. Groups worked in assigned areas, including the engineers, the technicians and the sustainability officers. Working and studying in the STEM center on the Northport VPK-8 campus is an excellent opportunity to make discoveries, problem solve and engage in situations to find workable and innovative solutions. Under the direction of instructor, Christine Nurse, students are learning to find out their real capabilities in the STEM fields and to discover innovative ways to solve real world problems. Pictured are the sixth grade Northstar students, Hamza El-Azzami, Alec Cortez, Aniya Chandler, Brianne Yates, Alexander Hernandez and Matthew Pinto.