By: Sarabeth Weszely Thorson, Writer
April 18, 2023
Engaging families in the experiential learning we foster for our students is a top priority at Inwood Academy, and a fun one at that!
On March 29, Inwood Academy Middle School hosted Science Night, where students and their families competed together as teams in a playful STEM challenge (STEM is shorthand for the fields of science, technology, engineering and math).
The challenge:
Each team was tasked to create a bridge out of nothing but straws, tape and string. The teams’ bridges were judged based on their ability to stand alone and hold various weights for 10 seconds or more.
Students were encouraged to apply the scientific method and the critical thinking skills they practice every day at school, and families were excited to participate in the process with them—even younger siblings!
The night was filled with laughter and a healthy sense of competition as teams competed for $25-100 gift card prizes. After 30 minutes of work, families enjoyed putting their work to the test, even if their bridge quickly collapsed under the weight.
In the end we had two first place winners whose bridges successfully held 1500 grams:
Landon Rodriguez (7th grade) with Checafi Rodriguez and Kalesky Henriquez
Emely De La Cruz (5th grade) with Elias De La Cruz
All participating students were able to choose a prize from our prize table before they left. “Today was really exciting. It was a great opportunity for families to get a taste of what we do in our classrooms and create something together as a team” shares Ms. Tores, 6th grade science teacher.
Inwood Academy inspires and equips students to be lifelong learners. We create opportunities for exploration and experimentation every day in our classrooms, and it’s so rewarding to share that experience with families whenever we can. We look forward to hosting more events like Science Night again soon, and we encourage you to follow our social media channels for more fun updates.
