Gallego Elementary School second grade student Kaydee Reynaga and hundreds of Laredo ISD’s elementary students started their summer by stepping into the shoes of roller coaster engineers, architects, and theme park designers. The youngsters were all participants of LISD’s annual Summer STEAM Academy: The Ultimate Theme Park Edition, a hands-on learning experience spanning across 10 elementary campuses.
The academy blended Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) into a high-energy, collaborative environment where students designed, prototyped, and pitched their very own miniature theme parks. Throughout the academy, students applied rigorous academic concepts to real-world engineering challenges, officially transitioning from "learners" to "innovators."
The four-week curriculum scaled in complexity, ensuring students in both the K–2 and 3–4 cohorts were uniquely challenged each week. Week one focused on Planning and Designing a Theme Park - where students master the foundations of blueprints, scale, and environmental planning. The second week involved Engineering the Thrills - a deep dive into hands-on physics, where students explore motion, gravity, and structural integrity. The third week was dedicated to Smart Parks and Technology – an introduction to the future of entertainment through coding, automation, and digital tools, while the fourth week concentrated on Marketing and Launching – a final push focusing on branding, communication, and preparing for the ultimate showcase.
Kaydee who hopes to become a scientist or architect found the academy to be very fun and creative.
“I liked the camp a whole bunch. We learned about science, engineering, technology, but mostly about mathematics,” said Reynaga. “What I liked most about the camp was the creativity we made. I made things out of Legos, 3D pens, magnets, and all the little things we used to make our theme park.”
As a conclusion to the STEAM Summer Academy each elementary campus opened their doors to welcome families and community members for a first-hand look at the incredible creativity, innovation, and hard work that went into building the Ultimate STEAM Theme Parks. From architectural blueprints and physics-defying ride designs to creative branding and tech integration, the students have engineered something truly spectacular.
The academies were held at Daiches, DD Hachar, Kawas, Zachry, Dovalina, Farias, Macdonell, Santa Maria, Gallego, and J.C. Martin Elementary Schools which included students from all 20 LISD elementary campuses.
For more information about LISD, log on to www.laredoisd.org or call the LISD Office of Communications at 956-273-1730