'M' is for 'math'

La Conner Schools has put its STEAM into student creativity and critical thinking.

The district last Wednesday hosted STEAM Night, an interactive and fun event for families to solve puzzles, play games of chance, enjoy dessert treats and experience countless ways of applying classroom lessons to everyday life.

STEAM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.

Students and staff manned activity-oriented stations so engaging that two hours seemingly passed in the blink of an eye. Kind of like peering through teacher Steve DeLeon's microscopes to view and identify livestock parasites.

The evening was modeled after a prior district Math Night, which by all accounts was well received.

"We had Math Night last year, so the idea was to expand upon that," elementary principal Heather Fakkema told the Weekly News.

The result offered a fall festival vibe.

Fakkema credited teacher Lisa Hedlund for spearheading and organizing STEAM Night. Her colleagues "pitched in" with themes for each station.

One of the more popular stops at the elementary school was the Braves Hub gardening station that morphed into a sundae counter where site coordinator Chloe Madison enthusiastically served up frozen desserts accented with fruit toppings.

Students Arlo and Emmett Oczkewicz were among those giving the temporary ice cream sundae shop positive reviews.

Over at the middle and high school campus, staff member Preston Stewart greeted folks and issued passports to be stamped at each station and then turned in for chances to win prizes.

As part of the Business Math class station, high school senior Lily Dougliss issued blank checks to passersby. The trick was they had to correctly fill out those checks for a fictional $50.25 purchase of the 2025 Pioneer yearbook.

Teachers designed stations with games and projects linked to their subject areas.

"It's a way for students to engage with teachers in a different way," said middle and high school principal Christine Tripp. "A big part of STEAM Night is that it encourages our students' creativity and ability to think critically."

The formula used for Math and STEAM Nights at La Conner Schools will be employed again in 2025. Plans are afoot for the district to hold a Literacy Night this winter.

That event will focus on the ability to read, write, speak, listen and communicate effectively.

Given the district's current focus on its reading comprehension programs, Literacy Night planning will no doubt gather steam in the weeks ahead.