Rowan Elementary School recently concluded its own version of the 2026 Winter Olympics — CIRC style! Students competed in teams to sharpen STEM skills such as coding and problem-solving during this creative, hands-on event. Creativity, Innovation and Research Center (CIRC) teachers Mrs. Kelsey Stauffer and Ms. Carrie Dillon put their own spin on six popular Olympic events: Alpine Skiing, Curling, Speed Skiing, Slope Style, Bobsledding and Ice Hockey. Student STEM athletes used coding to create Alpine and Speed Skiing runs with Indi and Finch robots while racing against the clock for speed and navigation accuracy. Curling challenged teams to program Ozobots in precise coding patterns to hit a target. In Slope Style, Sphero robots took on jumps and ramps in a free-flowing makerspace course. Teams also used makerspace materials to design and build their own bobsleds, putting them to the test in an energetic race across the NoRilla table. To wrap up the competition, students took center stage on the Active Floor for a unique motion-activated Ice Hockey experience. Rowan’s student Olympians had a fantastic time building STEM skills, collaborating with teammates and experiencing the excitement of learning through friendly competition! #SVProud

Kindergarteners at Ehrman Crest Elementary School are exploring engineering and design using the NoRILLA table, an innovative learning tool that bridges the physical and virtual worlds to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. Our elementary engineers recently learned structural concepts like height and stability by building towers and testing them on the table’s shaking platform. After reading “The Three Little Pigs,” students created their own houses and put them through an “earthquake” stimulated by the NoRILLA table to see which structures could withstand the big bad wolf’s huff and puff! They observed how their houses responded, analyzed why some designs were stronger than others and discussed improvements – building critical thinking and problem-solving skills along the way. With the assistance of a friendly virtual gorilla, NoRILLA provides engaging challenges that allow students to predict, observe and explain, just like real scientists. “The NoRILLA table will continue to support hands-on STEAM learning, including lessons on balance, force, motion and engineering design,” said Ms. Danielle Fagan, Ehrman Crest CIRC teacher. “These activities foster curiosity, collaboration and creativity, helping students develop a strong foundation in science and math through play-based learning.” Seneca Valley elementary schools received the NoRILLA table as part of a district initiative to bring cutting-edge STEM resources into classrooms. #SVProud