Wiseburn fifth graders enjoy a Saturday of STEM

Held on November 4, 2023, STEM for Students Day brought a hundred fifth graders together at Aviation Elementary for a day of STEM activities, with real-life engineers on standby to help and answer questions.

“I feel like I can do anything!"

That’s what one fifth grade student said of her STEM for Students Day experience, held on November 4, 2023 at Aviation Elementary School.

It's the exact sentiment organizers of the Wiseburn X Northrop Grumman X Society of Women Engineers (SWE) STEM for Students Day hoped to achieve for the hundred fifth graders who signed up for a Saturday full of STEM activities. The day showcased the fifth graders' robotics experience and provided opportunities to explore various engineering disciplines — with the help of real-world engineers who joined in on the day-long event.

The group of fifth grade scientists and engineers uncovered the DNA of a strawberry, programmed LEGO robots to score a soccer goal, filtered oil and debris from water like an environmental engineer, and built structurally-sound egg parachutes — dropped from 40 feet above ground by partners at the Fire Department on a firetruck ladder — to simulate dropping critical medical supplies to a rural community.

Partners who helped Wiseburn USD provide this experience for students include: the Wiseburn Education Foundation, Northrop Grumman, Society of Women Engineers, Da Vinci Schools, Aerospace Corporation, and the LA County Fire Department. Former Wiseburn students and current Northrop Grumman engineers Angelo Pasco and Alexa Marques mentored students for the day, and Alexa also helped take the lead in planning the entire event.

Wiseburn USD is grateful to Mr. Andy de Serière, Engineering Teacher at Wiseburn Middle School, for his leadership and continued dedication to ensuring every student can say they know at least one engineer. Our gratitude also goes out to Mrs. Shannon Tupper, Aviation’s Technology Library Clerk, and Ms. Alyssa Medina, Del Aire’s Technician Aide, for supporting our students throughout the day and encouraging a love of STEAM every day in our schools.