Family and friends are welcome to attend the first Waxahachie ISD STEM Expo this Saturday, Feb. 3 at the Waxahachie Ninth Grade Academy.
Students of all ages will have the chance to learn and practice fun, STEM-related activities from 10 a.m.—2 p.m.
At the expo, visitors can also observe WISD’s elementary school science projects that have advanced to the WISD Science Fair.
Waxahachie ISD Director of Public Relations Jenny Bridges said, “The district science fair will be at the STEM Expo so all of the winners from the campus level from all of our elementary schools will be there and they will also be announcing the winners at the district level.”
There will be 70 free, interactive booths on campus with activities that demonstrate STEM principles. These activities are suited for grades pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Activities include, but are not limited to, scavenger hunts, robotics, an escape room, Slime! Slime! Slime!, mini-golf challenge, wind-powered maze, 3D pen creations, creating phone apps, football goal challenge, bubble-ology, crack the code forensics, flash mob, and more.
Among students, other organizations and businesses will attend the STEM Expo, displaying their services that emphasize on the more analytical side of thinking.
Ellis County Bricks 4 Kids, Dallas YMCA volunteers, Tinker Town, WNGA Library, Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Dallas Zoo are some of the business highlights of the expo.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science will attend the expo and will bring its STEM truck full of different activities for students to participate in.
The Dallas Zoo is hosting its program where experts talk to kids about zoology and discuss the science behind taking care of some of the smaller animals they’ll bring.
There will also be an area for students to play with Tinker Town, which allows children to visualize engineering ideas with blocks and other colorful objects. Tinker Town is used on some campuses as a STEM program.
The new STEAM-focused elementary school, Wilemon STEAM Academy, will have a booth available for parents to check out. Bridges said district employees would be there sharing information about the opportunities available at the new academy. Wilemon STEAM Academy will take the place of Global High School and will be 75 to 85 percent zoned, allowing other students to apply to enroll. Wilemon STEAM Academy will open in the fall of 2018.
By attending the STEM Expo, WISD students will receive a 100 percent daily grade. Visitors also have the opportunity to win door prizes every 15 minutes.
Food trucks will be at the campus selling lunch from Dallas’ The Butcher’s Son, Texas Burrito Factory, Yummy Pizza and Yummy Barbeque as well as a local vendor, Pokey O's.
Also, the Global High School PTO will run the concession stand in George W. Solis Gym. This also fundraises money for Global’s STEM-related activities.
In the past, some WISD campuses have done their own STEM Expos, but this is the first year for a district-wide expo. Bridges said the district hopes this becomes an annual event.