On April 27, Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) students held a celebration of creativity when the second annual STEAM Flight Night was observed at Pequea Valley Intermediate School (PVIS). The event was a showcase of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) that gave visitors the opportunity to experience firsthand how students learn about those subjects in Pequea Valley schools. Activities included a focus on project-based learning, hands-on stations, and a chance to visit a Makers Market filled with art, baked goods, crafts, accessories, and more. Funds raised by items sold in the market benefited the Pequea Valley Education Foundation.

Visitors were able to take part in activities including an art showcase, which featured works by students from all PVSD schools and grades. A miniature golf course designed by sixth-grade students was part of the program as were inventions created by fifth-graders in the Pequea Valley STEM lab. The PVSD art team worked to create an interactive mural that grew as the night went on. Attendees could test their engineering skills and time management at a tower challenge that offered the chance to see who could design and construct the tallest tower possible with certain materials in a given amount of time. The capabilities of a laser engraver were also demonstrated.

PVSD gifted learners devised shows in the PVIS planetarium, including comparisons of ancient Central American civilizations with photos from that area. Salisbury Elementary gifted students created and filmed a Rube Goldberg machine, and photography students showed their work on the dome ceiling. Another station focused on 3D printing with the opportunity to make a nametag, and a Legos station offered the chance to make a tower, among other creations. Coding was explored at an Ozobot station, and virtual experiences from around the world were offered. Science projects made by students in kindergarten through sixth grade were on display, and hands-on science activities related to the outdoor classroom were available.

All activities were offered with background music provided by the PVIS Brave Sounds jazz ensemble. Readers who would like to know more about the district may visit http://www.pequeavalley.org.