Red, black and green Black History Month graphic with the text "Science, Tech, Engineering & Math"

  • Throughout the month of February, students across the district will be learning about the achievements, contributions and efforts of African Americans to the fields of language and literature, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), arts and music, and social studies and political science. This second week, Feb. 6-10, we're focusing on STEM.  

    Erie High School: Building Bridges

    Students in Erie High's engineering class took a hands-on approach to learning about the significant contributions of Black engineers and technicians to the fields of civil engineering and bridge building, including Lloyd Abernathy, Robert Flowers and Robert Robinson Taylor. The students not only researched the engineers but undertook a bridge building project of their own that included research and design, construction and testing.

    Collage of five different photos showing students at work on a project to build bridges out of balsa wood.

     

    McKinley Elementary School: STEM Pioneers

    McKinley students gathered to celebrate Dr. James McCune Smith for Black History MonthMs. Jamie Boring's first grade class learned about Dr. James McCune Smith, who was the first black American to receive his medical degree AND own and operate a pharmacy in the United States.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Lincoln Elementary School: Looking to the Stars

    This month Lincoln classrooms are holding a door decorating contest as we celebrate Black History Month. Ms. Huey’s class learned about Mae Jemison, the first female African American astronaut, and decided toPhoto shows a classroom door decorated with a paper rocket ship guided by Dr. Mae Jemison, in honor of Black History Month.   decorate their door in honor of her.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Wilson Middle School: Under the Microscope

    Photo of a report on Bruce Jackson, DNA scientistEighth-graders in Mr. Cherpak's class at Wilson Middle School chose a Black scientist to study and wrote about their own personal career paths.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Jefferson Elementary School: Focus on Research

    Students in Mr. Viglione's fifth grade class researched and held presentations on famous Black Americans in various fields. Student Gavid Gabbard III chose engineer Jerry Lawson, known as the "father of theStudent standing in front of a projector with a slide on it introducing Jerry Lawson. videogame cartridge." Lawson is remembered for his work in designing the Fairfield Channel F video game console and leading the team that pioneered the commercial video game cartridge.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Perry Elementary School: Following the Signals 

    Perry students learned about Garett Morgan and recreated his famous invention -- the traffic signal -- using construction paper.

    Group of students showing research on Garrett Morgan

    Photo of student cutting out a circle from a piece of green construction paper to create a paper traffic light.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Harding Elementary School: Illuminating Inventors

    Ms. Krowicki's kindergartners also learned about Garrett Morgan, inventor of the traffic light, as well as George Washington Carver, scientist, farmer and inventor of peanut butter.

    Students standing in front of a wall decorated with peanuts made out of construction paper in honor of Carver.

     

    East Middle School: Research, Write, Present!

    Students conducted research projects about African American scientists, including Angie Turner King, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Betty Wright Harris, Mae Jemison, Charles Henry Turner and others. The students produced a poster project featuring their selected subject and presented the posters to their classmates.

    Two female students holding a poster board featuring information about Mae Jemison.

    Two female students holding a colorful poster board with information about Charles Henry Turner.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Patrick J. DiPaolo Student Success Center at Emerson Gridley: Taking Flight

    At Emerson-Gridley, EPS Cyber Choice Academy students in Grades K, 1, and 2 got together this week to learn about Katherine Johnson, the first female African American engineer at NASA.  One of her biggest accomplishments at NASA was helping calculate the trajectory, or path, of the country's first human spaceflight in 1961.  In 1969, she calculated the trajectories of Neil Armstrong's historic mission to the moon.  Classes read the book, "A Computer Called Katherine," then students created their own rockets to represent our flights into space.

    Photo of students gathered around a table coloring rocketships.

     

    Strong Vincent Middle School: Studying the Scientist

    Amy Miehl's sixth-grade scientists studied the men and women who paved the way before them, including Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Mae Jemison, May Chinn, Wangari Maathai and Shirley Ann Jackson.

    Student-made poster with picture of Shirley Ann Jackson surrounded by writing noting her accomplishments.

     

    Eagle's Nest Program of Academic Distinction

    Check out this video of research undertaken by students at the Eagle's Nest Program of Academic Distinction, focused on Black scientists and engineers.