JUDA — Amazing opportunities continue to develop as the Juda WE STEAM (When Everyone does Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Agriculture, and Mathematics) Program continues to grow through the ongoing support of grant programs and community partnerships.
The Juda Science, Technology Engineering, Arts, Agriculture and Mathematics program emerged from humble beginnings from a question posed by science teacher Nancy Samplawski. The question focused on how students could think more critically and persist through tough problem solving.
The answer came as an initial $3 per student commitment from Juda school administration. The funding, along with flexible thinking about teacher roles and the daily school structure, launched what has become a WE STEAM culture at Juda School.
The timing for the development of the program came as partnership funding and professional development opportunities unfolded. A core group of staff attended a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics development program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Initially, Samplawski, Juda High School math teacher Scott Anderson, Superintendent Traci Davis, Curriculum Director Mary Larson, middle school math and science teacher Amanda Prigge and middle level educator Jackie Klar attended the training. This group, along with Juda agriculture teacher Ralph Johnson, made up the Juda STEM Team.
Although the STEAM program had administrative and professional support, it needed financial support. It was at this time that Juda School was nominated by local farmers for the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Grant. They received their first grant with the help from Johnson and Larson and have been moving forward since.
Then STEM became STEAM; art teacher Theresa Wyss and business education instructor James Pickett joined the team. With the first America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Monsanto Fund grant, Tetrix Robotics were purchased for the high school, which competed in in a Robotics Rumble. The middle school competed in a solar car competition. All students grades 6-12 had an additional gear challenge.
They received the AFGRE grant for a second year. With that grant Arduinos were added to the high school program and Lego Mindstorms were added to eighth grade. The decision was made to move the rocketry unit to the seventh grade STEAM program, and sixth grade competed with solar cars.
Juda received the AFGRE grant for the third year and the STEAM team expanded to fourth grade teacher Penny Ramos and fifth grade teacher Lucy Stuckey. In the third year of the grant, the objectives were two-fold: Include every child in the district in STEAM applications and Train the Trainers. With the grant from year three, Snap Circuits, Coding Caterpillars, Coding Mice and Rokenboks were purchased. Klar became the District STEAM Coordinator and a full 4K-12 program was implemented. Most members of the WE STEAM Team presented and trained others multiple times.
Anderson completed NSF Low Cost Mechatronics Training. Klar completed the Raspberry Pi training. In house tech leader Deb Thompson was instrumental in securing keyboards and monitors. Davis, Larson, Pickett, and Williams attended the International Society for Technology in Education Conference. They received their fourth $10,000 AFGRE grant this year.
Pencil Box Engineering has already been added to classrooms grades K-8. A Family STEAM Night per quarter has been planned. Take home STEAM backpacks are in development with plans to implement this year. Wyss will be presenting at the Art Educators Conference and Klar will present at the Wisconsin Rural School Conference.
