Students, parents, teachers, administrators, elected officials, and other local residents came together for the Merced City School District’s STEAM Center dedication ceremony on Wednesday, October 25.
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. The new facility is located next to Ada Givens Elementary but serves all of the district’s TK-8th grade students. The 5460 square foot center provides collaborative, hands-on learning experiences in a 21st century environment to help prepare students for bright futures in high demand fields. It also allows groups teachers to receive support and training while learning innovative ways to teach challenging concepts. Local scientists and engineers have also been visiting the center since it opened in August to speak with children about the subjects they are studying and the types of exciting careers that are connected to STEAM.
Student representatives from every MCSD school attended the dedication ceremony and helped to fill a time capsule with items that they and their classmates selected through an online survey. Those items included an iPod, a Chromebook, a fidget spinner, and current maps of our city and country. The time capsule is set to be opened in 2027. Students from Givens Elementary also participated by leading the Pledge of Allegiance, and members of the Hoover Middle School Band performed The Star-Spangled Banner.
The ceremony included remarks Board President Adam Cox, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Paula Heupel, Merced Mayor Mike Murphy, and Merced County Supervisor Lloyd Pareira. California School Boards President Susan Henry also spoke during the dedication and recognized MCSD for winning the prestigious CSBA Golden Bell Award for its STEAM program in 2016. The new STEAM Center is the latest expansion of that program, and Ms. Henry noted that it is the only one of its kind in the state because it serves all students in the district.
Mr. Cox expressed the importance of that decision during his remarks, saying, “The Merced City School District chose to create a space to benefit all of our children. That commitment to equity is at the core of everything we do. It is in our mission statement to ensure that every student excels academically, builds character, and is a productive member of our community.”
The district would like to thank everyone who made the STEAM Center possible and all of those who attended the dedication ceremony.
