STEM Meets Creativity at Warren County’s Elementary GT Activity Day

The Warren County Community Center was buzzing with imagination and collaboration during a special event for elementary students in the county’s gifted and talented (GT) program. Students from all five elementary schools came together on March 26 for a hands-on day of problem-solving and teamwork centered around a fun and educational theme: March STEM Madness.

Led by Denise Walton, Gifted Education and Testing Coordinator for Warren County Public Schools, the event aimed to stretch students’ minds while encouraging cooperation and creative thinking. “This is more than just fun,” Walton said. “It’s about working together, thinking critically, and applying what they’ve learned in new ways.”

Three activity stations were set up for the students, each designed to challenge different skills through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)-based tasks.

In one room, students were given newspapers and three feet of tape to build the tallest tower strong enough to support a basketball. “We’re all working on the same thing,” said one student. “I was measuring the tape and making sure we had enough.”

In the second room, led by teacher Eric Michael, Instructional Technology teacher, students worked in teams using robots on miniature basketball courts, coding them to score while others played defense. “We’re learning how to program robots,” explained one student. “It’s a little confusing, but we’re getting the hang of it.”

Michael noted how this activity ties into math and logic, with students testing, adjusting, and sequencing code to achieve their goals. “It’s about trial and error—just like in real-life problem solving,” he said.

The third room, hosted by teacher Faith Falkenstein, GT Resource teacher, explored the history of basketball and then challenged students to build their own hoops and devices to shoot a paper ball into them. “They’re learning to work together,” Falkenstein said. “That’s one of the most important skills they can take away.”

One Fifth-grader said he and his team were learning to “co-rely on each other,” a key theme throughout the day.

Dr. Christopher Ballenger, Superintendent of Warren County Public Schools, dropped in to observe the program and praised both the students and teachers for their energy and creativity. “This gets our students out of the box—literally and figuratively,” Ballenger said. “They’re collaborating, solving problems, and learning how to think critically. It’s exciting to see.”

He also noted the importance of continuing to build the division’s GT program, which now includes gifted resource teachers and could soon add a third instructor to meet growing demand. “This is a young program, but it’s already making a big impact,” Ballenger said.

For many students, the event provided the chance to meet like-minded peers from other schools—many for the first time. “It’s great to see them work with others who think like they do,” said Walton. “They’re building friendships and learning at the same time.”

Walton said the activity day was previously held twice a year before the pandemic and is now back by popular demand. The plan is to host two sessions each school year moving forward.

As the event wrapped up, the message was clear: when learning is fun, it sticks. And when students are empowered to explore their abilities in a supportive, creative environment, the results can be truly inspiring.