For four days at the end of the school year, BHS secondary students took part in various projects around the island designed to seek solutions through the five components of Steam — science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

Head thrilled with efforts

Linda Parker, the Head of School was thrilled with the students’ efforts.

Ms Parker said: “At BHS, we must ensure that our students are prepared for the future. Investing in Science, Technology and the Arts, means that we can provide Steam-inspired learning experiences, and encourage our students to consider careers in this field.

Even if they do not become engineers or scientists, this new approach to education gives them the skills to thrive in the modern world.

Steam Week is an excellent way to provide learning opportunities for students to problem solve, think collaboratively, communicate effectively and use their technical skills, all while solving local or global problems.

Steam Week Projects

• Three days till curtain — put on a play in three days

• Community Art — create inspiring murals at Agape House

• Electronics — learn the basics of electronics

• Get outside — explore Bermuda and encourage youngsters to get outside

• Marine biology microplastics — design and create a vehicle to remove microplastics from Bermuda’s beaches

• Photography — learn photography skills and produce a brief

• Junkyard gems — learn how to build awareness around recycling and create upcycled jewellery and other items

• ROV cleanup — design a robot to clear plastic waste from the oceans

• Tiny doors — use scale modelling to develop motivational reading activity

• Trash to treasure — use trash to make lights to be sent to African villages

• Psychology and animal behaviour — what can animal psychology teach us about human behaviour? Research the ethics of animal testing

• Waterstart: beginner diver programme — learn to scuba dive

• Architecture apprentice — work with architects of the new Innovation Centre to design a soundproof reading room

• Where art, computers and creativity conspire — create interactive art using coding

Dolphin education

Students spent the day with dolphins to study animal behaviour with the aim of better understanding human behaviour.

They then looked into the ethics of animal testing and it gave students an introduction to psychology.

Using robotics to clean beach

Students at Elbow Beach tried to create a robot which would clear micro plastics from Bermuda’s beaches and the project presented students with difficulties they had to overcome.

Year 9 student Jaime Procter explained: “Initially, the robot we designed wasn’t strong enough to pull the catcher, so we replaced the solar panels with larger ones, and attached the two robots together. This meant it had more power and strength.”

The catcher was designed by Year 9 student Sophia Stevens and made on a 3D printer.

Creating valuables from some unwanted material

The students who signed up for Junkyard Gems visited the recycling facility and learnt about sustainable recycling.

They then created new items out of old material — jewellery out of soda cans, scrunchies and hairbands out of old T-shirts, newspaper hats and held a paper bag fashion show.

On school property, one of the most creative activities was the Tiny Doors project. Participants chose a book, and created a tiny door to represent it, which opened to a scene from the

book.

Working on a 1:12 scale, they sketched their designs on to graph paper and made cardboard prototypes.

During the actual build, they encountered many problems, including hinges that didn’t work, doors that didn’t fit frames and scenes which were too big. They overcame hurdles, and their final results may have been tiny in size, but were enormous in wow factor.

Secrets of soundproofing

Three students had the opportunity to work with local architects at Botelho Wood and Lindberg & Simmons.

The students found a way to reduce the sound in the reading room/library in the new Innovation Centre, which is due to break ground in the autumn.

The girls worked with design software SketchUp to create their designs.

Teachers encouraged as group takes advantage of opportunity

In St George’s, the photography group spent time in the Two and Quarter studio learning the basics of manual camera operation.

Year 10 student Layla Kurt explained to the assembly during the final presentations: “We were given different briefs to work on, and I chose ‘16 things to do in Bermuda before you turn 16’.

“We had to deal with issues like lighting and adjusting the settings for the different

shots. We also got to have a photoshoot with Mark and Ally Tatem’s baby, which was so much fun.”

Deputy Head of School and Head of Secondary, Catherine Hollingsworth said: “Our staff are to be commended. Each year they manage to pull together these incredible experiences for our students.

“I had the pleasure of

working with the photography group this year, and it

was a delight as students were engaged, they were willing to try new things, and they kept going when something didn’t work.

“They also showed tremendous encouragement towards one another. This is such a great opportunity for them to mix with other year groups and enjoy learning in a fun way, outside of the classroom, in the local community.”