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Throughout various classrooms, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St Louis Charter High (CHS) students had their minds engaged in how to code candy canes and make fake snow, had their fingers shaping slime, and their hands molding bath bombs. These were some of the activities in which scholars took part during the school’s fourth annual STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) Day on Friday, Dec. 2. 

“STEAM Day has been a highly successful and requested day,” said Liza Cummings, PhD, CHS STEM instructional coordinator and STEAM Day planner. “The students enjoy the scholarly creativity, and it is a day to learn and experiment with things outside of the box.” 

“You combine corn starch, baking soda, Epson salt and rubbing alcohol,” says CHS junior Dannica Davis, as she lists some of the ingredients of her winter bath bomb. “I’m using eucalyptus and coconut oil for my scents.” 

“It’s fun to put my hands into,” said CHS junior Tariq Brandon, of his bath bomb. “I like how the texture of the baking soda changes and become more solid.” 

In another room, students built a catapult out of pencils, masking tape, popsicle sticks and rubber bands. 

“It’s been a good activity and fun,” said CHS senior Matthew Hicks. “It’s fun to explore something different outside of our regular classes.” 

CHS students wore STEAM shirts designed by CHS sophomore Nichlas Hart. 

“I came up with the idea around Halloween,” said Hart. “I was thinking about how Halloween and STEAM went together. I thought about electricity, Frankenstein and lightening.” Hart, who drew the design, wants to become a fashion designer. 

Other STEAM projects during the day included:

• Gingerbread House
• Reebops
• Slime Your Way
• Snowstorm in a Jar
• Plastic Cup Ornaments

“Our scholars have been waiting in great anticipation for STEAM Day,” said CHS Director Gina Jeffries, EdD, “and we are so excited to bring it to them each year.” 

The SIUE Charter High School is a school-of-choice for families in the East St. Louis School District 189. The mission of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Charter High School is to prepare students who are career- and college-ready upon graduation. To achieve this mission, the school and its staff will positively impact the educational and economic lives of East St. Louis, Illinois youth through individualized instruction in core academic subjects, exploration of career interests and aptitudes, assistance in realizing students’ talents, high academic goals, and expectations that graduates will become competitive employees for the 21st century.  

Photos:
CHS student Jaelon Cohen works on making a catapult. Students were given three options of catapult types to build. Once built, students tested their catapults by seeing who could launch small marshmallows the farthest. 

CHS student Jakailah Hardiman starts constructing her reebop, an imaginary animal made from marshmallows. Their features are determined by the characteristics encoded in their chromosomes. 

CHS sophomore Nichlas Hart designed the CHS STEAM Day t-shirt.