GCA Students Launch Inaugural STEM Fair

Earlier this school year, GCA students represented the largest single-district delegation of Chief Science Officers (CSOs) in the United States at a meeting for the Leadership Training Institute (LTI). These students gathered for one mission: to move beyond being just students of science and become advocates for it. After months of planning, collaborating with industry professionals, and setting goals, GCA's Chief Science Officers are seeing their visions come to life.

At Gilbert Classical Academy, CSOs Madison Adcock and Jocelyn Joseph recognized that older students often lose touch with their STEM passions amidst the pressure of rigorous coursework and testing. To combat this, they created, planned, and held a mini-STEM fair in the school’s Cybrary on April 16. Rather than focusing on basic STEM concepts, they collaborated with district Technology Integration Educators to provide hands-on access to advanced equipment, including Sphero Bolts (programmable robotic balls), Micro:bits (pocket-sized computers used for coding), and tele-drones.

These tools allowed students to explore sophisticated areas within the broad field of engineering, such as aerodynamics and light-based programming. The CSOs explained the importance of the event, saying, “I just think it's important to take a break and just go into your interests and discover what's out there, even if you think that you won't like it.” The mini-STEM fair was a massive success, drawing over 100 students during both of the school’s lunch periods.

To learn more about activities and clubs at GCA, visit GilbertClassicalAcademy.GilbertSchools.net/Activities.