Maurita Crew has worked diligently toward expanding the integration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education into her student's curriculum at Trout Creek Seventh Day Adventist School (TCAS). In Crew's third year at the school, she has created a learning environment which allows students a hands-on approach to investigating and engineering solutions that cater to a student's academic needs. In that continuation, this year students are learning about space - the main theme at the school's family STEM night last week.

Crew created several engaging activities featuring STEM education for students and family members to participate in. A night so popular, even grandparents showed up. Students moved around to four different stations and completed each mission before moving onto the next. "We are doing space this year," Crew said. "All of these activities felt like they were associated with the space theme." Crew said this is the first family STEM event the school has been able to host this year due to COVID-19 safety concerns.

While each activity proved to be a challenge for the students, the space docking station was the hit of the evening. This activity called for students to create a landing device to keep the astronaut (a pingpong ball) safely inside the station after impact. This station also served as a team building activity calling for students to work together and communicate as they walked the station to its ending point. These STEM activities, Crew says, are all leading up to the "big blast off" at the end of the school year. Students will be building and launching their own rockets on the last day of school.

TCAS hosted their Language Arts Fair, a free event, May 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Student's books and art projects were on display and Crew created more hands-on activities for the night's entertainment as well.