Ozona Elementary hosts STEM night

Ozona—Ozona Elementary School hosted a STEM family night Oct. 21, featuring a mobile science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) lab from the Texas Education Agency.

Students showcased projects including a flying saucer and robots.

“I had been applying for the TEA mobile STEM lab for the past three years,” Principal Erica Cruz said. “Last year we were selected as an alternate, and this year they finally came to us. One thing the TEA mobile STEM lab asked us to do was host a STEM night, and one of the stations would be their trailer. I took that as an opportunity to highlight our STEM lab as well.”

The OES STEM lab was donated by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, which provided 3D printers and materials to create STEM activities.

“Children are able to come in here and play with the stuff they gave us,” Cruz said. “These types of activities are so important for children because they help build critical thinking, creative thinking and problem-solving.”

Cruz said the donation is especially valuable for Ozona students who live in a rural community and have limited access to STEM activities.

“Opportunities are limited for our children,” she said. “We are, you know, 80 miles away from San Angelo. We don't have much in our community, so the fact that we’re able to have this on our campus for our students is extremely important for our Title I rural district.”

Cruz said the evening was a big hit for both students and parents.

“I don’t know if the parents had more fun or if the students had more fun, but we had parents making cars, wheels turning, lights going, making music — it was super fun,” she said.