Sublette Examiner

Courtesy photosBig Piney eighth-graders Christian Dennis, left, and Sam Smith, right, prepare to launch their rockets during the STEAM residency hosted earlier this month at the middle school.Big Piney seventh-graders prepare to compete against one another to see whose Racer Chaser, made out of popsicle sticks and motor circuits, crosses the finish line first.Big Piney student Shonee Bingham shows off the high-tech terrarium she created while learning to solder during a STEAM residency with Eurekus instructors.Big Piney student Gavin Phillips collaborates with Denver-based Eurekus instructor Tyler Aiello to solder a remote-controlled car.

By: By Cali O'Hare, managing editor, [email protected]

Updated: 1 week ago / Posted May 22, 2023

BIG PINEY — Big Piney Middle School students recently underwent a residency where they honed their science, technology, engineering, art and mathematical (STEAM) skills with instructors using "maker education." Maker education incorporates hands-on strategies to build learning and technical skills. Because STEAM fuses STEM with the arts, culture and humanities, Big Piney students were heavily involved in the design process for each project they undertook. The spring residency introduced eighth-grade Big Piney students to the elements of STEAM by allowing them to design and launch their own rockets, with the help of Denver-based Eurekus instructors Tyler and Monica Aiello. The pair co-founded Eurekus, a collaborative of artists, educators, scientists and engineers re-imagining learning and public engagement.

Tyler is a sculptor, engineer and inventor while Monica is a planetary artist, educator and designer.

With the help of their instructors, seventh-graders took the wheel with a racing project, creating popsicle stick cars with remote-controlled motor circuits known as Racer Chasers.

Sixth-graders learned how to solder while making high-tech terrariums.

In its eighth year, the STEAM residency program at the school is made possible by the Pinedale Fine Arts Council in partnership with Marathon Petroleum Corporation, Jonah Energy and Sublette County School District No. 9 Board of Cooperative Education Services.