Jefferson STEM Night Brings Families Together

Jefferson Primary School played host to more 180 students, family and community members for an exciting evening of exploration, creativity, and hands-on learning at its annual STEM Night.

For the first time, families had the opportunity to experience Star Lab, transforming the gymnasium into a miniature planetarium where students explored the wonders of the night sky. The excitement continued with a hands-on catapult experiment, where young engineers explored the principles of force and motion and Bee-Bot robotics and coding activities that encouraged students to think critically, solve problems, and bring their ideas to life.

Families also enjoyed the Jefferson PTA Book Fair and a special visit from the Huntington Public Library, which offered creative, camping-themed crafts for children and families. The evening's camping adventure theme added an extra element of fun and brought our school community together through learning and exploration.

“A special thank-you goes to our dedicated Jefferson faculty and staff volunteers, whose time, enthusiasm, and creativity helped make the evening such a success,” Principal Valerie Capitulo-Saide said. “We were also grateful for the support of volunteers from the Huntington High School robotics team, who shared their passion for technology and engineering with our young learners. Our parent survey results reflected the excitement of the evening. Families expressed appreciation for the engaging program, sharing that their children loved the activities and found them fun and awesome.”

One hundred percent survey respondents participating in the evening indicated they would like to attend another STEM Night next year.

“A very special thank-you to Elaine Leon, math coach and MTSS teacher and Kristen Maguire for their creative camping theme, thoughtful ideas and contributions to making this event such a memorable experience for our students and families,” Ms. Capitulo-Saide said. “STEM Night was a wonderful celebration of curiosity, collaboration and community. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a success. At Jefferson, we love creating opportunities for our Jaguars to learn, explore, and discover together.”