Keystone Academy Students Learn Through Engineering Club

Students at Keystone Academy are loving the school’s newest after-school program – a weekly engineering club. The club is facilitated by Western Wayne Engineering for Kids, a local organization that brings STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities to young students.

Each week 25 students are split into a lower elementary class and an upper elementary/middle school class. In each class, students work together on an engineering project that includes a new topic, as well as a project they get to take home.

“Growing our after-school clubs has been something we have been really working on,” said Principal Keturah Godfrey. “We wanted to ensure students across grade levels had access to high quality after-school programs in a variety of subjects. Students love engineering club. It is a really cool way for them to learn about an important topic.”

The reactions from students have been positive so far. Each week students are excited to show off their latest creation to not only Godfrey and her staff, but their parents as well.

Paul Heffner, owner of Western Wayne Engineering for Kids, has also seen a great reaction from Keystone students.

“I believe the students love the STEM classes because they are hands on and focus on problem solving and critical thinking,” Heffner said. “The students follow the engineering process, which involves team work when brainstorming.”

Keystone students continue to expand their knowledge of engineering and seem to get a little more excited about the club each week. Lessons taught during the after-school activity also help students in the classroom.

“The enthusiasm around the program is contagious,” Godfrey said. “By providing these programs we are able to allow students to explore and express themselves in ways that are not always possible in the classroom.”