Full STEAM Ahead Conference teaches art integration to educators

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - This week, educators across the state have been busy engaging in personal development opportunities. Today and tomorrow, at Casper College the Full STEAM Ahead Conference is an opportunity for K through 12 teachers to learn more about art integration within the classroom setting.

Science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. While art doesn’t seem to fit in, including the subject in lesson plans for other classes can benefit students and teachers.

“Art gives more cohesive and a more integrative approach to STEM. In my opinion it’s very difficult to take art and just teach STEM because art is not just fine arts,” said Zhanna Gallegos, curator of education at the NIC.

Educators from across Wyoming are using the event to learn how to bring art to the classroom and other subjects to art. It is an opportunity for educators to immerse themselves in STEAM then take it to their communities and put it to use.

“Working in a middle school in a rural town in Wyoming, introducing students to possible careers. Whether those careers start right out of high school, [or students] go to college, continuing education, but it gives them opportunities that we normally don’t see in a middle school setting,” said Rick Sánchez a middle school teacher in Buffalo, Wyoming.

The conference also allows teachers to network with those who may not be in their local communities. The various presentation styles included question and answers, showcases on how to put practices to use, and hands-on experiences.

“This conference is so important to find integration of interdisciplinary content ideas from a wider community, and it gives us such a great opportunity to collaborate in order to create really, really magical experiences for our students,” said Alexis Barney, the 2021 Wyoming teacher of the year.

The conference will continue tomorrow, and organizers have plans to return next year.