by Ellen Samuelsen
If you were to peek into a classroom on a typical day, you would most likely see students solving math problems, writing paragraphs, or reading books. But, if you peeked recently into an Ocotillo Ridge Elementary School classroom, you would have seen students building robots, assembling rockets, or launching catapults. That’s because it was Raytheon Day at ORE!
On Friday, August 17th, approximately thirty Raytheon employees, led by ORE parent and Raytheon employee Marissa Wood, came to Ocotillo Ridge Elementary School in Vail to offer students a day filled with STEM-related activities. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) represents a “hands-on” approach to learning, in which students apply these subjects in a combined manner to create solutions for real-world challenges.
It certainly was hands-on at ORE! Raytheon employees brought all the supplies needed to teach students at different grade levels how to make a “wiggle bot,” launch a stomp rocket, or build a catapult. Along with these activities, the defense company also offered ORE students the opportunity to try a virtual reality system, as well as a 3-D printer.
Each child took home his or her STEM creation, and could not stop talking about the event. “My daughters played with their inventions for two hours after they got home from school!” commented ORE parent Cherece Hancock. Kate Robold, ORE’s principal remarked, “We are truly grateful for Raytheon’s generosity in bringing this activity day to our school and enriching our students in STEM.”
It may not have been a typical school day, but it will be one that ORE students remember for a long time to come!
