Washington Elementary Transforms into STEAM School

Wide Hollow Elementary School recently changed their name to Wide Hollow STEAM Elementary to reflect their new focus on incorporating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics across their curriculum.

The Washington school transformed its computer lab into a STEAM lab. It was funded by a $10,000 grant from the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The Washington school transformed its computer lab into a STEAM lab. It was funded by a $10,000 grant from the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The lab is now equipped with the following:

  • Art supplies;
  • Age-appropriate robots;
  • Five collaborative digital microscopes that project onto large monitors;
  • A 3D printer;
  • Podcasting stations;
  • Video production station; and
  • A die-cutting station.

Students also have access to programs like Makey Makey, which allows them to design and code using ordinary everyday things.

An emphasis on STEM lessons have increased over the last year so the lab was created to engage and prepare students from a younger age, but also incorporating art and creativity into the process.

Wide Hollow teachers are also starting to incorporate STEAM concepts into core course topics.

“Our main emphasis really is this is a way for students to…communicate, collaborate, solve complex problems…and then be creative,” Principal Rick Ferguson told the Yakima Herald. “Those are skills that are needed in any job, because we really don’t know. A lot of the jobs these kids are going into don’t exist currently. But those four things, the four C’s, they’re going to need those skills.”

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • School Construction Projects Boom as Education Systems Address Aging Facilities and Growth

    Construction opportunities are almost always abundant, but currently there are more than usual construction projects being launched for public school campuses. Common objectives include major renovation or expansion of aging facilities, total replacement of inefficient classrooms, upgrades to lighting, technology, and security equipment, and adding new sports and cultural facilities.

  • College of the Mainland Starts Construction on New Library & Learning Center

    College of the Mainland in Texas City, Texas, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Library & Learning Center, according to a news release. The new facility is part of a larger, $250-million campus expansion project funded by a 2023 bond program.

  • University of Kansas Opens $400M Football Stadium Reconstruction

    The University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan., recently announced that the $400-million reconstruction of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is complete in time for the 2025 football season, according to a news release. The university partnered with Turner Construction Company on the project.

  • ALAS Announces 2025–26 Award Winners

    The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) recently announced the winners of its 2025–26 leadership awards, according to a news release. Winners will be recognized at the ALAS 22nd National Summit on Education, scheduled for Oct. 15–17 in Chicago, Ill.

Digital Edition