Science, Technology, Engineering and Math is highly valued in Moorestown Township Public Schools and has been growing quickly in the past few years. Recreational STEM programs, such as robotics, have expanded from not only the high school, but also now the middle school and outside of school with the elementary schools.
Every elementary school student is invited for more exposure to STEM and robotics with the Second Annual LEGO STEM Night.
Hosted by the Combustible Lemons, the Moorestown High School robotics team, the Second Annual LEGO STEM Night, on April 6, is held to expose younger children to STEM and robotics. The night will allow for students to learn about the engineering design process in a fun and engaging way, all while helping the robotics team raise money.
“We host the LEGO STEM Night every year because we want kids to know that there’s a future engineer inside each and every one of them … Engineering is hard, but as we describe it in the high school robotics community, it’s the ‘hardest fun you’ll ever have.’ Our world depends on engineers who can help society, make amazing inventions and fix our nation’s infrastructure, and any kid can be that engineer if we push them in the right direction,” Rebecca Rovins, co-president, said.
Last year, about 200 Moorestown students in grades K-six competed in a LEGO-building competition. The Lemons would like just as many if not more students to attend this year.
At the event, each grade’s students will be assigned a different task and interviewed by high school robotics team members to win awards. The grades will be split in three grade groups, K-two, three-four and five-six. Every group will get five minutes of drawing and 20 minutes of building; judges will go around and ask kids about their drawing, their creation and the build process; and there will be a testing phase where each challenge will have to be able to support one of the lemon plushies. Judges will test each design.
“This year, we’ve added a theme to our event, ‘Medieval Times in Lemonland,’ to match the theme of the FIRST Robotics Competition game this year, FIRST Stronghold … We’ve also included more stages from the engineering design process,” Rovins said.
Trophies will be awarded to winners in grades three to six in several categories plus a Young Engineer Grand Prize. K-two students will showcase their creations in a LEGO parade led by the Lemons’ mascot.
Attendees can also get their faces painted, dance to music, take pictures with the Lemons’ mascot and “castle,” and meet the local FIRST LEGO League teams and their robots. There will be food and Lemons merchandise for sale as well.
“Last year, every student left feeling accomplished, and every parent loved the learning experience we provided for their children … Months after the event was over, Moorestown residents still recalled the amazing night they had and asked us when we were hosting it again. So here it is … Kids get to learn about engineering in a fun way while parents can learn about the STEM opportunities for their children. The event is so high-energy that it’s fun for spectators, too,” Kathie Jin, head of marketing, said.
Members of the MHS robotics team hope children who attend see that STEM isn’t just what you learn in a classroom, but there is so much more to it and it can be fun. The members would like younger children to see the endless possibilities with STEM and perhaps see a future within the field.
“Hopefully, the children who attend the event leave with a renewed vigor in both STEM-related activities and in friendly competition. This way, they’d be interested in similar events in the future, which would be incredibly beneficial for our entire community as a whole,” Kartik Bhardwaj, co-president, said. “These children are the future of both the robotics team at the high school and the workforce in general, and if the future is rich in scientific minds eager to make a difference, then the world will undoubtedly become a better place.”
The LEGO STEM Night will run from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Elementary School, located at 325 Borton Landing Road. There is a $6 per participant fee, but it is free for spectators and parents. Children in grades K-sixmay participate, but anyone is welcome to attend. Participants can buy tickets at the door or ahead of time at www.ticketriver.com/event/18908?clear.
“The LEGO STEM Night is our largest fundraiser, and so by attending, you are supporting the Moorestown Combustible Lemons and all the students who benefit from the team,” Jin said.
