LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) – Students at Juan Ramirez Middle School spent the day exploring hands-on science and math through the Texas Mobile STEM Lab, a nonprofit initiative partnered with the Texas Education Agency.
Students completed hands-on STEM projects, worked in teams and presented their products. Seventh grader Nicole Perez and her class built a robotic hand, while sixth grader Edgar Garza built a bottle rocket.
“When we first heard that it was gonna come, we were excited and stuff,” a student said.
“It was awesome to learn everything we did on that mobile STEM lab,” Garza said.
Teacher Amanda Torres applied for the experience last April.
“We knew it was gonna be a big thing for our campus. It was a great thing happening for us,” Torres said.
“It was a good experience for them to go through the whole process. Not just in my classroom but they saw that, you know, these experiences can bring other job opportunities, you know, and expose them to different skill sets,” Torres said.
More than 1,000 schools applied for the chance to host the Texas Mobile STEM Lab. Of the more than 200 schools selected, Ramirez was the only Laredo school picked. The lab was available to students for one school day.
Principal Juan Herrera said about 100 students went through the STEM Lab experience and hopes the opportunity returns to the school.
“We had about a hundred of our rattler students go through the STEM Lab experience…Not only was it an opportunity for our students but it was also an opportunity for our teachers to engage in hands-on professional development,” Herrera said.
Incoming students must apply for the STEM program at Ramirez Middle School. United ISD plans to expand STEM opportunities across the district in the future.
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