4 Districts, 40,000 Students, 1 Event
School Districts in Pulaski County Team Up for Totality STEM Event
PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. – Jacksonville North Pulaski, Little Rock, North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts are proud to announce the exciting endeavor to showcase STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) achievement - all under one roof. This won’t be a traditional science fair. Rather, the Totality STEM Showcase on April 4, 2024 at the Hall of Industry, 2600 Howard Street, Little Rock, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., will be a culmination of all areas of curriculum collaborating to celebrate a historic event.
The districts have worked together since August to plan Totality STEM - Celebrating the Eclipse as a joint project to highlight the convergence of STEM education with the captivating spectacle of a total solar eclipse. Nearly 3,500 fifth grade students from each district will attend the event on the Arkansas State Fairgrounds, with representatives from every K-8 school across the four Pulaski County school districts celebrating their school's STEM Learning via demonstration or project displays.
"I am thrilled about the multi-district partnership for the Totality STEM event, held in observance of the upcoming eclipse,” said Dr. Jermall Wright, superintendent for LRSD. “This collaborative effort exemplifies the power of bringing together diverse talents and resources to inspire our students and ignite a passion for STEM learning.”
“PCSSD is excited to work with our colleagues in central Arkansas and engage in learning and understanding about the upcoming eclipse,” said Dr. Charles McNulty, superintendent for PCSSD. “This will be an exciting opportunity for students across our four school districts to showcase their enthusiasm and creativity when it comes to STEM curriculum.”
The STEM showcase reflects a view of science as a highly social, creative, problem-solving process. Students will engage in hands-on projects guided by the application of Science and Engineering Practices, rather than strict adherence to the scientific method. This event will feature notable guest speakers, including a NASA astronaut, enriching the experience with invaluable insights and inspiration from real-world experts in the field.
“I am thrilled that our scholars will be actively engaging in the Totality STEM event,” said Dr. Jeremy Owoh, superintendent for JNPSD. “This hands-on experience not only sparks curiosity and wonder, but also cultivates a passion for science and exploration. By participating in these types of events, our scholars are embracing the opportunity to learn, collaborate and expand their horizons. I am looking forward to the event. "
"I am excited about this event to expose our students to STEM-related activities during this solar eclipse phenomenon," said Dr. Gregory J. Pilewski, superintendent of the NLRSD. "This collaboration between our local school districts benefits our students tremendously as we take teaching and learning to another level."
The full-day event will be divided into three sessions to allow for groups of approximately 1200 students to filter through at a time. Each session will have its own special guest speaker; however, each speaker will be broadcast live for participating schools to watch from their classrooms. Speakers include Dr. Renee Horton, a Space Launch System (SLS) Quality Engineer at NASA; Dr. Chris Jones, author, speaker and former NASA employee; and Elizabeth Whitley, Senior Officer of Education at The Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub at Winrock International.
More information can be found on the event web page located on each school district’s website.