The Jefferson Primary School PTA has been awarded a $500 STEM + Families grant by the National Parent Teacher Association based in Alexandria, Virginia.
“Family engagement is essential to strengthen STEM education, bridge the STEM gap and help all children realize their fullest potential,” said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. “We are pleased to equip PTAs and schools nationwide with resources to engage families in STEM education and help foster children’s understanding of and excitement for STEM.”
“We were awarded STEM games that encouraged students to think critically and use logic to solve problems,” Jefferson Principal Valerie Capitulo-Saide said. Jefferson’s recent second annual STEM Night included two building activities and a third session focused on STEM games acquired with grant monies.
The first session of the special evening consisted of creating a tower made of index cards with the second one centered on building a catapult to hurl a marshmallow. A fun series of STEM games acquired through the national grant were utilized during the third and final session of the well-attended event.
“Over 50 Jefferson families attended our night event,” Ms. Capitulo-Saide said. “It was a fun and exciting family event creating, building and problem solving.”
The Jefferson Primary School PTA is led by executive board members Jen Biancardo (president), Kelly Donovan (co-vice president), Wendy Naborre (co-vice president), Stacey Fiore (corresponding secretary) and Ken Guandique (treasurer) and PTA Council Delegates Jennifer Carillo and Jasmin Garcia.
“For more than 100 years, the National Parent Teacher Association has worked toward bettering the lives of every child in education, health and safety,” states the organization’s website. “Founded in 1897 as the National Congress of Mothers by Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst, National PTA is a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities and a strong advocate for public education.”
