PHOTOS: Melrose STEM Events Successful

Submitted by the Melrose Education Coalition.

Two events sponsored this week by the Melrose Education Coalition and Mayor Rob Dolan clearly demonstrated strong community interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

More than 500 people packed the Melrose Middle School for the STEM Expo on Saturday, Nov. 19. Children of all ages and their families participated in over 20 STEM-related activities, including: building and racing LEGO vehicles, designing circuits made of conductive play-doh, recreating the Zakim Bridge out of boxes and ropes, solving math challenges, designing animated computer games, and watching impressive demonstrations by the High School and Middle School robotics teams.

On Wednesday evening, Nov. 16, 70 parents, educators, school administrators and City officials gathered at the Lincoln School for a panel discussion on trends in STEM education. The panel was moderated by Julie Shea, science department head at Melrose High School, and included presentations by Winthrop School principal Mary Alise Herrera, BU Academy instructor Gary Garber, and Tufts University professor Merredith Portsmore, as well as remarks by Mayor Rob Dolan.

The Melrose Education Coalition and Mayor Dolan would like to thank all the volunteers who helped organize and lead the events, and especially the many Melrose families who attended. 

The next Melrose STEM event will be a series of city-wide science fairs at all five elementary schools in late February and early March 2012. 

For more information on upcoming events and links to additional resources, please visit: https://sites.google.com/site/melrosemec/ or http://www.facebook.com/MelroseEducationCoalition.