On Thursday, Feb. 13, all types of science and technology were on display at Berean Christian School for the entire student body to learn by trying, touching, tapping, pushing, pulling and building.
For the third year in a row, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Day was conducted inside Berean’s auditorium.
Under the guidance of high school science teacher Cindy Potts, STEM Day became a reality in 2023, but Potts is quick to point out that it required a team effort.
“We work with representatives of the Cox Science Center and Aquarium at Dreher Park,” Potts said. “They provide two members of their staff who bring 20 tabletop experiments to our school. Those two staff members instruct our high school students how to conduct each experiment. Then, our high school students will teach our middle school and elementary school students about each experiment. Everybody in our school — from kindergarten students to high school seniors — visits STEM Day.”
According to Potts, one of the positive effects of STEM Day is that it improves communication skills for every student in the school.
“By having high school students serving as instructors of each experiment, it gets them out of their comfort zone,” Potts added. “It improves the teaching and speaking skills of older students. The younger students will pay attention to the older students.”
Two of the high school student-instructors were Aiden Lickman, 16, and Chloe Nelms, 17. Both enjoyed the chance to interact with students in a true learning environment.
“I see that these kids want to learn,” Lickman said. “It’s a fun experience for all of us.”
“It’s a good way to open the doors of science to our young students,” Nelms added. “They are eager to learn.”
Some of the many accessories used in various experiments were handheld tablets, miniature robot-like devices, dice, Lego-like pieces and magnifying glasses.
One of the more popular stations at STEM Day was the digital dancing area where students were actively engaged in dancing. The goal for each student was to replicate the dance moves they were watching on a huge computer screen in front of them. Senior Armaan Singh, 17, was actively involved in demonstrating how to participate in that particular station.
The two representatives from the Cox Science Center were Ashley Divens, 39, and Joseph Femano, 46. They both serve as science educators and summer camp managers. They enjoyed seeing how the young students at Berean were gravitating to the world of science.
“I love STEM Day,” Divens said. “Science is one of the best subjects for students to learn.”
“I like giving back to the community,” Femano added. “I like watching the kids interact with many experiments and learn about the broad spectrum of science.”
According to Potts, plans are now underway for next year’s STEM Day event at Berean, which will probably be held in February 2026.
