S.T.E.A.M.Topia!
There was plenty of fun to go around at STAR Education’s 2nd S.T.E.A.M.Topia! Over 150 young innovators showed up for a day of hands-on learning, experimenting, and exploration! Focused on the S.T.E.A.M. disciplines of Science, Technlogy, Engineering, Art, and Math, S.T.E.A.M.Topia is designed to show how S.T.E.A.M. disciplines work together to illuminate principles behind fascinating phenomena in the human experience, and how these subjects are easily applicable in the real world.
Elementary and middle school children were able to test their engineering abilities by designing the car of the future, discover the math behind wilderness survival skills, explore the technology behind artificial intelligence through Turing tests, build a survival dome to withstand the elements, craft high-flying rockets, design 3D forced perspective art, study electric circuitry, and learn the behind-the-scenes of toy making!
Students from the STAR LEGO© Robotics program also competed in the Battle of the Brains! Battle of the Brains is an opportunity for students to battle their Mindstorm sumo-bots that they have spent 12 weeks designing, building, and programming using mechanical engineering, computer programming, special reasoning, teamwork, aesthetic and functional design and other S.T.E.A.M. based skills.
The action didn’t stop there – students also had the opportunity to ride a real hovercraft, experience the science of break-dancing and hula hooping, build at the LEGO© booth, put on a sumo suit to explore the physics behind sumo-wrestling, engage in interactive technology exhibits, and so much more!
The STAR S.T.E.A.M. Initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) has introduced thousands of students to cutting edge and innovative programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. S.T.E.A.M. utilizes specialized, multidisciplinary curricula propelled by problem solving, discovery, and exploratory learning, which encourage students to actively engage in a situation in order to find its solution. STAR S.T.E.A.M. programs aim to engage students to solve real world challenges and ignite their interest in college and future careers. S.T.E.A.M.topia is part of STAR Education’s initiative to support the growing trend in education to stress practical, hands-on, and innovative curricula. STAR is an active member of the S.T.E.M. Education Coalition and is at the forefront of promoting S.T.E.A.M. programs in California.
Happy New Year!
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and exciting 2013!
In Case You Missed It…
As we get ready for the holidays, we thought it would be a great time to look back at the first half of the school year and share with you all of the wonderful things that have gone on at STAR!
CLICK BELOW TO READ THE FULL RECAP!
Why The Grey Matters
STAR Education has partnered with the Braitmeyer Foundation and a team of Neuroscience experts to bring you this comprehensive Professional Development Program developed and designed especially for elementary teachers.
This program will take place on three separate Saturdays at STAR Education’s Resource Station in Culver City. This cutting edge series will be presented through a dynamic hands-on, discussion based format which focuses on bringing you the latest research in Neuroscience and Psychology along with strategies for direct application in the classroom.
Click here for more program information and to register today!
CEU Credits are available, for each Saturday of attendance, through USC’s Rossier School of Education. (See Below).
Where:
STAR Resource Station
10117 Jefferson Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90233
When:
December 8th, January 26th, February 23rd
8:00 a.m. Check-In and Continental Breakfast
Session: 9:00-4:00
Contact:
gate@starinc.org
310-842-8040 ext. 113
Post-Thanksgiving Thanks!
Happy Monday! Hope everyone spent the Thanksgiving weekend eating delicious food surrounded by family and friends! We are thankful for YOU.
Calling All Chess Lovers!
Attention chess players of Los Angeles! STAR Education Chess department has magnificent news for you. Starting this past October (OK, we know we’re a little late on the chess train,) the ALL STAR Chess Club will be meeting once a month to play chess, hear presentations by chess masters, and even form a chess team!
The ALL STAR Chess Club is an incredible opportunity for students of all ages to meet a whole new community of chess players outside of school. Not only is chess a game of intelligence and strategy that helps keep the mind and memory sharp, but it’s also a chance to make new friends! The club is open to students in grades K-8, whether you are an experienced player or a total chess novice.
Each meeting, club members will have the opportunity to play for fun against new opponents, enjoy a special presentation by a chess expert, and join in on a tournament to determine the members of the All STAR team. This past Saturday, special guest speaker International Master Zhanibek Amanov graced the ALL STAR Chess Club. We just checked his chess profile, and out of all the chess players in the world, he ranks at 4632! Wow!
The next ALL STAR Chess Club will feature International Grandmaster Melik Khachiyan and will be held at the STAR Resource Station on Saturday, Dec. 15th, from 12-4pm. 10117 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City CA 90232
For more information on joining the ALL STAR Chess Club, click here.
For any further questions, please contact Dylan Quercia at dylanq@starinc.org.
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Happy Election Day!
Keeping our schools, families, and communities in mind as we encourage you all to vote today!
Remember to Rock the Vote!
Exciting Grant for New Neuroscience based Professional Development Series for Teachers at STAR Education
STAR Education is excited to announce that they are a recipient of a $35,000 grant from The Braitmeyer Foundation to develop and implement a Neuroscience-based professional development series. The series will be aimed at teaching educators how to use the most up-to-date research in the areas of neuroscience, psychology and sociology in their classrooms. The educators will be given basic scientific theory along with practical suggestions on how to enhance material retention and most effectively set up their learning environments.
The series will be an eight session program covering the following topics:
1) Plasticity and Mindset
2) Motivation
3) Attention, Focus and Persistence
4) Stress and Emotional Regulation
5) Happiness; Social and Emotional Learning
6) Memory and Study Skills
7) Brain care (Sleep, exercise and nutrition)
8) Teaching Neuroscience to children
Our resident neuroscience expert, Anne-Marie Cziko, Ph.D. , will be developing and implementing the course. (You can read Anne-Marie’s bio and the rest of our STAR GATE staff bios here.) We will also be featuring articles covering her research summaries on the series’ topics here on the STAR News blog. Her goal with these summaries is to help both educators and parents guide their children to reach their maximum potential.
Included in the Braitmeyer Foundation grant is a fund matching program allowing us to run the to provide a 50% discount to the first ten schools that sign up for the series during the pilot year. Please inquire with the STAR GATE department if your school or district is interested in participating.
The Votes Are In – STAR Education is THE BEST Choice for LA Parents!
Student at our Castle Heights Early Childhood Program.
Experiment at our Science Family Nights! Learning is fun with our Language Arts instructors!
Art can be fun and practical and it’s always YOU! Learn to compete at our annual Shoot for the STARs Basketball Tournament! Our Galaxy programs are head and shoulders above the average after school child care program. We were rated the Best Educational and Tutoring Program because we give every STAR child specially designated time to do their homework and our college educated staff is there ready and excited to help. “Parents rave about the professionalism and caring of the staff, convenience and affordability of the program, and the fun their kids have. They also enjoy that STAR gives kids a head-start on homework. ‘My child begs to stay every day after school,’ says Jillion Weisberg of Los Angeles. ‘I have to limit her to two classes a day because I miss her. She has taken everything from dance to gardening to science.’”* There’s organized sports activities, as well as built-in enrichment classes at every school site. In 2011, we were voted the Best Sports Program in LA Parent as well! It’s not just about theatricality at STAR – it’s about self-esteem too! Our RockSTARs perform on LA’s and the nation’s most famous stages! We are dedicated to making our students STARs! In the last year our events have become even bigger powerhouses with our first RockSTAR WinterFest on the Sunset Strip giving our STAR kids the chance to rock out on professional stages TWICE in one year, including our 7th Annual Battle of the Bands at the House of Blues. We had two original plays: A Cinderella Tale taught students and audiences important lessons about preventing bullying during the winter session and My Favorite Alien, a technological and astronomical extravaganza inspired by Cirque du Soleil, brought STAR families to their feet in the spring. Our 12th Annual Children’s Earth Day at the STAR Eco Station not only featured performances by all of our STAR kids, but special appearances by local politicians like Culver City Mayor Andrew Weissman and former Mayor Micheál O’Leary, environmental organizations such as Heal the Bay and the Surfrider Foundation and the cast of Disney’s A.N.T. Farm! Founder and Executive Director Katya Bozzi on stage with former Culver City Mayor Micheál O’Leary The cast of Disney’s A.N.T. Farm supporting environmental awareness at STAR Eco Station’s Children’s Earth Day Counselors at our new Roller Coaster Mania Summer Camp *“Best of 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards.” LA Parent August 1, 2012: 18-31.
