Students prepare for S.T.E.M. Olympics at IWA

Incarnate Word Academy Elementary Level fourth and fifth-grade students will put their math, science, and engineering skills to the test by participating in the school’s S.T.E.M. Olympics on Thursday, Nov. 29 from 1-2 p.m. in the school’s James R. Dougherty, Jr. Center.

The challenges that these young students will face have been created and tested by IWA High School students in Heather Quintana’s “Introduction to Engineering Design” class. The mix of challenges will include coding Dash robots, air powered and chemical reaction rockets, catapults and more.

At IWA, S.T.E.M. related classes and activities are integrated into the school curriculum beginning in the first grade. Through hands-on lessons designed to teach critical thinking and reasoning skills, S.T.E.M. classes are aimed at enhancing student collaboration, creativity, and communication skills while empowering students for a future in science, technology, engineering and math.

“It’s truly wonderful to see the students develop a strong penchant for learning and technology at such a young age,” IWA Elementary Level S.T.E.M. teacher Quintana said. “When little girls and boys come up to me and say they are interested in a career in S.T.E.M., I know we are doing our jobs right.”