For the second consecutive academic year, the Office for Formation and Education at the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland offered a diocesan-wide competition to future engineers and computer programmers in grades K-8.
This was not a typical science fair. It was a complete takeover with more than 500 student participants from 26 Catholic elementary schools throughout the eight-county diocese showcasing their collaborative thinking and innovative ideas to almost 3,000 parents and spectators.
The second annual X-STREAM Games and Expo (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts and Math) took place April 6 at Holy Name High School in Parma Heights.
The STREAM Initiative in the Diocese of Cleveland began three years ago as a way to implement learning that involves solving problems, asking questions and exploring the world.
Jennifer Miroglotta, coordinator of curriculum for the diocese, helped lead and plan the 2019 X-STREAM Games. “Focus is also placed on authentic project-based learning experiences and assessments. These are hallmarks of 21st century learning,” she said.
Schools were represented by teams of students who presented projects or completed technical challenges while fielding questions from judges.
Each grade level competed in categories that included chemistry in the kitchen, lip balm product development, arcade game or miniature golf design that used sustainable materials, robotics and computer coding.
Pupils in grades K-2 had the opportunity to participate in a Lego design and build expo. Each student selected a story from Scripture and constructed it based on their visual interpretation.
Holy Name High School’s STEAM Club demonstrated robotics to the elementary students in attendance. “Showing the level of complexity I think encourages how creativity grows when building upon classroom concepts,” said one HNHS STEAM Club member.
PBS affiliate WVIZ Ideastream offered a hands-on demo booth for parents and youth at the X-STREAM Games. Families could investigate material science, play with mixtures of substances and explore the concepts of force and motion with WVIZ Ideastream.
Art displays, a Shark Tank-like experience for inventions and science scrimmages also took place throughout the school.
“Almost every inch of this building is being used to hear our Catholic school students bring their ideas to life,” said Frank O’Linn, superintendent for the office of catechetical formation and education.
“The long-term value of the STREAM approach is to move the needle on engaging, authentic, problem-based learning,” said O’Linn. “To see this volume of critical thinking centered on solving real-world applications is a testimony to our teachers, staff, parents and our schools working to prepare students in the 21st century.”