St. Gertrude School in Kingsville held a STREAM Family Night on April 19. It was open to all families from 2K through sixth-grade.
 
"Many public schools now have STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs, however as Catholic educators our belief in educating the whole child required an addition of Religion and Arts making it STREAM instead of simply STEM.  STREAM allows us the opportunity to present the arts and encounter Christ in every aspect of the curriculum and instruction.  If we truly want to educate the whole child then STREAM will help us reach that goal," said Griselda Gonzalez White, principal of St. Gertrude School.
 
Parents, younger siblings, older siblings, aunts and grandparents worked together to complete a project entitled "Into Engineering Puff Mobile". They were asked to make a car move by blowing on it. They were only allowed to use three non-bendable plastic drinking straws, four lifesavers, one sheet of paper, two paper clips, tape and scissors.
 
They were asked to test it and determine the amount of puffs it take to make the car travel six feet; redesign it so it will travel the same distance with fewer puffs; and to consider certain variables that could affect the distance the car will go.
 
The design process involved asking questions; imagining some solutions; planning a better outcome by drawing a diagram with the materials needed; create it; improve on it and retest.
 
"The parents are very excited about the STREAM initiative," Gonzalez White said.