STEAM It UP!

RIF of NOVA has launched a new initiative called STEAM It Up! for four Title 1 elementary schools in Northern Virginia, thanks to a partnership with Amazon and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The program was created to provide local students with age-appropriate books and STEAM activities at Cora Kelly, Dr. Charles R. Drew, Groveton, and Marumsco Hills elementary schools.

The program includes a maze creation activity for younger children and a bridge building activity for older elementary students. After that, each child is able to choose a take-home-forever book that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math. Yay!!!

And has it ever been fun!!! Zowie!!!

Children turned popsicle sticks and clay magic into bridges. Cardboard pieces, pipe cleaners, and straw pieces turned into mazes. The children worked in teams and solo. They compared notes and helped each other. Said one second grader: "This is the best day that I had in the world!"

Cora Kelly School for Math, Science and Technology in Alexandria...

Librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Cathy Guthrie read a relevant book to the children to inspire their imaginations and creativity. For the older kids, the book Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge got the juices flowing. With help from school STEM specialist Kelley Organek, the children got to work.

Some of the fun was arranging the obstacles in the maze. Would the ball go around? Hmmm!

For the older children, the challenge was arranging the materials to make a bridge that would stand.

Once a maze or bridge was created, the prize was a STEAM-related book to take home forever.

Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary in Arlington...

Young engineers worked on their STEAM It Up! projects during several classroom sessions. In teams, they filled out an "Expectations for Engineers" plan of action before they began to build and create. Librarian Dora Sue Black (also a NOVA RIF liaison and board member) and STEM coordinator Kirstin Reddick led the children as they tried (and failed) and tried again! The goal for the older children was to use keva blocks or domino squares to build a creation that would be strong enough to hold the weight of a book. Would their creations work?

The guidelines were given out several days in advance to allow for design and planning to happen.

Putting heads together in teams generated so much trial-and-error creativity!

Would it work? Would our structure hold the weight of several books? YESSSSS!

Groveton Elementary in Fairfax County...

Groveton children assembled in the library to build their projects. Librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Eileen Findley and library assistant Maria Meeks were thrilled that Groveton kids were given this opportunity. Since Groveton does not have a STEM program (yet!), Findley said it was a unique chance for the kids to build anything like this. Books were available in English and Spanish, and they went like hotcakes! Volunteers from the NOVA RIF board and from Amazon/AWS pitched in to help the children build at all school locations.

Srinija Desiraju, Solutions Architect at AWS, was one of the many volunteers.

A new book and a maze to take home! Such an a-MAZE-ing day!

Fun has been had by all...including some funny faces, too!

STEAM It Up! at Marumsco Hills Elementary School in Prince William County takes place later this month. Photographs of all STEAM It Up! events may be found by clicking here. Note: Activity materials for STEAM It Up! have been provided by Building Momentum. Graphic materials are designed and provided by French Press Printing.

Wait! There's more cool news!

Amazon has made another amazing contribution to RIF of NOVA's efforts to put books into the hands of NOVA area children. The firm is funding three new books each for all Pre-K through second grade children at 15 Alexandria elementary schools! Each child will also receive a bookmark, many of them personalized with messages from Amazon volunteers.

Over 100 Amazon volunteers, led by Cynthia Caglar (r), senior manager, Amazon in the Community (AITC) Education, worked throughout the day on December 7 to organize and put stickers in over 15,000 books. Deliveries are taking place as we speak! What an amazing gift that allows Alexandria children and their families to read over the holidays! We are beyond grateful!

Any of this getting you in a holiday mood?

If you'd like to buy books for your holiday honeys, look no further than Vienna's Bards Alley Bookshop. Free wrapping will be provided by RIF of NOVA volunteers on December 16 from 11:00 to 3:00. And, we hear there may be a Santa visit at 11:00! Very cool!

And if YOU would like to buy some books for our kiddos, we have two special links for that. Please click here or here!

Last, but certainly not least, our holiday elves have begun their work! NOVA RIF Young Ambassador Marley Clift stuffed the Groveton ES Little Free Library with seasonal books donated by the NOVA community! More "elfishness" just could happen! Stay tuned!

*Send a check:

Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Inc. 

P.O. Box 7012

Arlington, VA 22207-0012

The Combined Federal Campaign -- open through January 15, 2024 -- is an option for federal employees and retirees. Donate to NOVA RIF at # 18818. Donate through the United Way of the National Capital Area (UWNCA) at # 8959.

RIF of NOVA | rifnova@gmail.com | www.rifnova.org

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