The students in Greater Clark County started the 2023 school year like normal on Wednesday, but the ones who attend Franklin Square Elementary in Jeffersonville were treated to a special surprise. The Cal Ripken Sr. foundation partnered with Niagara Bottling, LLC. to donate a STEM room to the school. “The earlier you start, the better off you’re going to be as you get older,” said superintendent of GCCS, Mark Laughner. “So we’re trying to start our kids as soon as possible in Greater Clark in terms of learning STEM fields and information.”The new STEM center is equipped with state-of-the-art activities, games, and challenges that help kids learn to love science, technology, engineering and math. Scott Swinson of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation says there’s a need to get more students interested in STEM.”STEM is necessary in all of our lives and we need more kids that are growing up used to STEM,” Swinson said. “We just want to get them interacting with STEM in a fun, exciting way.”Students were loving the activities they were given as well. Teachers of the school say the students will get to work in the STEM center every day. Laughner explains this is only the pilot program for his entire district. He hopes it’s only the beginning of having STEM programs in his school district.”We would like to eventually get all of our elementary schools to be STEM-certified schools,” Laughner said.
The students in Greater Clark County started the 2023 school year like normal on Wednesday, but the ones who attend Franklin Square Elementary in Jeffersonville were treated to a special surprise.
The Cal Ripken Sr. foundation partnered with Niagara Bottling, LLC. to donate a STEM room to the school.
“The earlier you start, the better off you’re going to be as you get older,” said superintendent of GCCS, Mark Laughner. “So we’re trying to start our kids as soon as possible in Greater Clark in terms of learning STEM fields and information.”
The new STEM center is equipped with state-of-the-art activities, games, and challenges that help kids learn to love science, technology, engineering and math.
Scott Swinson of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation says there’s a need to get more students interested in STEM.
“STEM is necessary in all of our lives and we need more kids that are growing up used to STEM,” Swinson said. “We just want to get them interacting with STEM in a fun, exciting way.”
Students were loving the activities they were given as well. Teachers of the school say the students will get to work in the STEM center every day.
Laughner explains this is only the pilot program for his entire district. He hopes it’s only the beginning of having STEM programs in his school district.
“We would like to eventually get all of our elementary schools to be STEM-certified schools,” Laughner said.
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