Science Academy to Hosts STEAM Expo

MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. - May 2, 2016 - PRLog -- The Science Academy of Chicago will host its annual Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) Expo and Open House from 11am - 2pm on Saturday, May 7 at 501 Midway Drive in Mount Prospect.  The purpose of the expo is to provide a venue for students from preschool through eighth grade to showcase their STEAM related projects and experiments to their peers and community.

"We are looking forward to showcase just under 150 young scientists who will present their exciting science, math, and technology projects at the STEAM Expo," says John Linardakis, science teacher. "Students are implementing what they learned from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in their presentations. They have been preparing their projects for more than two months, and also given classroom opportunities to practice and improve their presentations."

The expo will feature hands on demonstrations and experiments along with award winning science projects from local and regional competitions including the Illinois Junior Academy of Science (IJAS), First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotic competitions and the Future City Competition.

"In Future City, we built a model of our dream future city.  In this city problems would be solved with machines," said sixth grader Mustafa Unat, a member of the Future City team.  "We use engineering and the power of our imagination to fix our city's problems.

The Future City model constructed with recycled materials earned the Best Land Surveying Practice and the Most Innovative Fire Protection Design awards earlier this year at competitions.

The hallways of the school will be transformed into an art gallery featuring art projects that students have created throughout the academic year.

"A gallery environment is what I am trying to achieve this year," said Marisa Choate, art teacher.  "The work range from interactive installations to paintings and sculptures!"

This year's exhibit will also feature the two pieces of original artwork that have been accepted for publication in the Celebrating Art's 2016 spring art book published by CelebratingArt.com

"I made this art piece because it was inspired by my artist biography of Piet Mondrian, an abstract artist from the Netherlands," said fourth grader Shiza Frahim. "I felt really excited and when I told my parents, they were really happy for me.  I felt that the day cannot get any better. It was one of the coolest things that happened in my life so far."

Primary grade students along with middle grade students will also be selling hand crafted art pieces that were created during art club in the past school year.  All proceeds will be donated to a local animal shelter.

"The kindergarten and first graders are working really hard making creative pieces for the upcoming art sale," said Sarah Cuello, co-instructor for the primary grade art club.  "We are making repurposed planters out of milk jugs and water bottles with planted mint, bath bombs, perler bead projects, and puzzles that are for sale."

This free family oriented event seeks to inspire youth to pursue a career in STEAM related fields and to introduce the private school to the local community.  The art exhibit will be available through May 13.

About Science Academy of Chicago

The Science Academy of Chicago (http://www.saoc.org/) (SAC) is a non-profit, non denominational, independent day school for students' preschool (three years of age) through ninth grade.  Our mission is to provide an accelerated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) focused college preparatory private education.  Please visit us at www.saoc.org