STEAM Lab Upgrades

STEAM LAB RECEIVES UPGRADES

The Boosterthon Fun Run helped purchase equipment

Last year, students in first through fourth grade stepped into Swift School's STEAM Lab for the first time. This year, the STEAM program expanded to a full-time class for first through sixth grade students, and the lab received a major upgrade.

Thanks to the success of the Swift Fund and April’s Boosterthon Fun Run Fundraiser, Ken Cressman’s wish came true; he had a chance to transform his STEAM space. “I was incredibly excited,” said Mr. Cressman. “The fundraiser gave us an opportunity to make the space truly feel like a STEAM lab. It is a space that feels creative when students come in. They have plenty of places to complete projects and even the flexibility to move around throughout the class.”

Armed with a budget and the blessing of Swift’s administration, Mr. Cressman set out to find the perfect equipment for a STEAM Lab geared towards students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences.

“It was an adventure,” stated the innovative educator. “I visited other area schools to see their equipment. I wanted items that were inviting, welcoming, and geared towards our students."

Enter the lab and two things will stand out immediately – large, spacious tables with power sources and flexible red stools, a nontraditional seating choice that has become one of the students’ favorite lab upgrades.

“Purchasing the stools stemmed from a conversation with an occupational therapist,” noted Mr. Cressman. “They’re geared towards our students as they allow them to move and provide feedback. They’re flexible and can quickly be adjusted [in height] to serve each student in the lab.”

The beautiful, spacious tables are brand new as well. Last year, the space could become cramped with larger groups. Students could not spread out a full project. Now, not only can two students lay out a complete project on a table, but they can also connect to a power source that contains outlets.

“We needed places to store things and also provide ample work and display space,” Mr. Cressman stated. “It was difficult finding tables that could be adjusted on the fly, but I had specific specifications in mind like a ledge for their feet, adjustability, and sturdy material that could take the wear and tear that happens in a STEAM Lab.”

The lab received a state-of-the-art transformation, and for that, Mr. Cressman is thrilled, although he admits he is thinking towards the future and developing a wish list of unique items.

“One of the things we’d love to have is a 3-D Printer. That’s at the top of the wish list. We’re thrilled with the incredible upgrades we received. The Swift Fund and Boosterthon Fun Run helped transform the lab.”

Next time you visit Swift School, visit the upgraded space that is full of inspiration and possibility.