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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — It was a day of fun and learning new things in science and math as hundreds of students across Staten Island recently attended a STREAM Fair.
Students were able to explore all things STREAM — which stands for science, technology, robotics, engineering, arts and mathematics — during the special event, held at the Borough President’s Hall of Science, located at the Michael J. Petrides Campus in Sunnyside, before the start of the 2023-2024 school year. Hosted by Staten Island District 31 Superintendent Dr. Marion Wilson, District 31 Community Connector Louis Bruschi and the District 31 team, the event was open to students across the borough.
“This is my way of igniting the excitement of our children and our families, and I hope that our schools will have their own type of STREAM Fairs,” said Wilson. “It just fosters the love of science, engineering, technology, arts and math.”
According to Wilson, the event was made possible thanks to a grant received by My Brother’s Keeper, an initiative made to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color. The fair on Wednesday was held in partnership with 21stCentEd, a virtual STEM academy that helps to develop 21st-century skills.
Donovan Alleyne, lead partnership manager for 21stCentEd, said the organization provides access to high-level courses in STEM, while also changing the culture in communities when it comes to STEM. Alleyne said the company also donated gifts, including drones, for the raffles drawn at the event.
“We’re here today based on an invitation from Dr. Wilson, because she understands our flight,” said Aaron Washington, executive director of technology for 21stCentEd. “There are jobs that are available now that will no longer be available in the future – 5 years, 10 years. They will be obsolete. So kids need the skills for any job of the future. And that’s where we come in with comprehensive skills.”
Students learned how to use physics to make paper rockets and how to use a robotic arm to move items across the room, among other activities.
Ruby Ginocchio, a seventh-grader, said the event helped her “learn more about science.” She added that her favorite activity was using the robotic arm, because it made her think about its engineering.
Another student, sixth-grader Maxwell Dodanmaluwa, explained how he built his paper rocket, adding he has experience in the process after attending New York Aerospace Camp this summer.
“We learned how rockets can go in space,” he said. “So I folded this up, and you don’t add too much [on the bottom] because there is too much drag. You want it to spin a bit.”
