October 29, 2024
Acri organized the first Afterschool STEAM Fall Festival, an event where students and their families could enjoy science, technology, engineering, art and math activities together. The event drew more than 50 families, or about 200 people.
“I have high regards for the STEAM program and its mission, so I wanted to connect families to all the amazing work their children complete each day,” Acri, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, said. “Through my education courses at Susquehanna, I felt prepared to create an event that connects the community to the STEAM program and celebrates the children and their after-school learning.”
Shikellamy’s STEAM Afterschool Program provides a safe and engaging environment that is designed for students to enhance their academic achievement, support social-emotional development and promote healthy lifestyles. Students participate in teacher-led instruction, outdoor education, physical fitness, homework help, guest presentations and other enrichment activities. The program, which is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, provides dinner and transportation.
Acri created eight learning stations that connected to the five STEAM disciplines and had an overarching fall theme, all with the intent for families to participate in learning together and even take it home. Stations included creating catapults to launch candy corn, using paint to create leaf prints, creating a spider web out of floss, and embarking in an escape room with the entire family.
“My favorite station was an exploration of static electricity. Families blew up a balloon, built up static electricity by rubbing the balloon on various surfaces, and then lifted a piece of tissue paper using the balloon’s static electricity,” Acri explained. “The waving tissue paper looked like a dancing ghost, which connected to the fall theme.”
All the activities used household items and could be easily differentiated for all learners, Acri said. To extend the learning at home, families received paper handouts with instructions for each activity, including materials needed for completion and ways to extend the lesson.
Acri was assisted by staff from the school district and David McLaughlin, department head and associate professor of education in Susquehanna’s School of Humanities, who helped her recruit some Susquehanna education students to serve as volunteers.
“The event seemed to evoke much happiness, and everyone seemed to find something to enjoy,” Acri said.
After graduation, Acri plans to become an elementary school teacher and support children in their learning both in and out of school.
“I have a passion for teaching,” Acri said, “and I am looking forward to my future as an educator.”