Write your article here...The Utah STEM Action Center, with acknowledgement from the Utah State Board of Education, recently honored Cottonwood Elementary School at a school-wide celebratory event recognizing the school as one of Utah’s newest Platinum STEM schools. The honor recognizes the school’s strong commitment to high-quality, innovative STEM instruction where Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) are embraced as a mindset. 

According to Principal Teri Cooper, the school credits paraeducator STEM specialist Annie Rassussen for leading the certification process and strengthening STEM learning schoolwide.

“We at Cottonwood are hosting our first-ever STEM Day today,” Rasmussen said. “It is a school-wide event for K-fifth grade. Students’ parents and families were invited to attend today’s celebration in recognition of our school earning Platinum STEM designation.”

Rasmussen added, “The application process for platinum-level status, took place over a six-month period. We applied for the designation through the Utah STEM Action Center, gathering evidence and data on STEM learning at Cottonwood. Our portfolio was evaluated and received platinum-level recognition, the highest possible. This achievement provides valuable hands-on learning opportunities for our students. We are super excited about this recognition.”

Developing and maintaining a STEM mindset

According to the school’s STEM vision statement, Cottonwood Elementary seeks to establish a learning environment that fosters curiosity, confidence, exploration, critical thinking and creative problem-solving. The school further aspires to encourage students to maintain this mindset throughout their lives.

“At Cottonwood Elementary STEM School, we are committed to maintaining high expectations for our students,” Cooper said. “We believe every student can learn and grow here. With our new designation and the introduction of new projects, we can now implement activities like those at today’s STEM fair celebration and provide weekly STEM classes for every student. The number of volunteers at today’s event is remarkable. This designation is a significant achievement for our school.”

Sean Thrope, assistant principal at Granite Park Jr. High School, helped design and lead 20 STEM event activities. He notes that the Platinum STEM designation creates an engaging learning environment through collaboration among teachers, the principal, students and parents. It also encourages students to develop STEM skills across all areas of learning, which is beneficial to a student.

“Cottonwood students will now consistently be involved in hands-on science that will hopefully engage them to explore STEM, possibilities for careers in the future,” Thrope said. “Also, this instructional approach develops essential skills for success in middle and high school science courses and provides students with a firm foundation to dive deeper into the content.”

STEM Day event activities 

Attendees received a list of the STEM event activities and a school map marking the STEM DAY station locations.

It wasn’t difficult to find where the process of a squid dissection was taking place. Entering the multipurpose room, a pungent, briny fish scent filled the air, originating from a table across the room overshadowing the large pile of strawberries awaiting their turn for a DNA extraction to be performed at another table.

Students were engaged in identifying the internal and external features of the Humboldt squid. Each had selected a prepackaged squid obtained from the local grocer. The arms, tentacles, siphon, fins and mantle lay spliced open in front of each student, awaiting the start of the examination and dissection.

“What I want you to do next is to find the gills and pull one out,” the instructor explained. “Does anyone know what function the gills perform?” Several students responded the gills were for breathing. The students poked and prodded with scissors to find the gills inside the mantle cavity and performed the extraction. After the gill removal was complete, the instructor said, “Locate and remove a sucker ring from one of the eight arms.” Students were encouraged to note along the way the large eyes and the beak located at the center of the arms.

Moving to the back table, where the strawberries were now sealed in plastic bags ready for the DNA extraction operation to begin, students began to pound, knead and mash each bag. 

“We are extracting the DNA from strawberries,” explained Everly Knudsen, a fifth grader, as she mashed a heap of strawberries inside a plastic bag into a liquid texture. “Since strawberries are octoploid, it makes the DNA easy to see. After they are mashed, we’ll add soap and salt, then filter them. At the end, we’ll add alcohol. The DNA will gob together, and you’ll be able to see it. Then we can pull the DNA out.” She paused and added, “At least we hope that’s what happens.”

At another location, students were assembling do-it-yourself glow sticks and lightsabers. Lightsabers were made by creating a simple circuit: each student received a small disc battery and an LED light. They secured the diodes to the negative and positive sides of the battery, causing the lightsaber to light up. Students then used electrical tape to attach a straw to the top, and— voila! — a homemade lightsaber. 

A school providing the opportunity to become lifelong learners and leaders

As stated in the Cottonwood Elementary School STEM vision statement, every child should be able to see themselves as problem solvers and innovators. Whether they dream of being engineers, teachers, artists or doctors, the habits of mind developed through STEM, wonder, persistence and critical thinking will serve them for a lifetime.

“Our school song states Cottonwood is the place to be, and I truly believe it,” Cooper said. “We welcome students seeking quality STEM experiences to apply to Cottonwood Elementary STEM School and join us to become lifelong learners and leaders who are ready to meet challenges, embrace opportunities, and help create a brighter future for all.”