Dear SWR Community,

This school year began in July with our Nation's 50th Anniversary celebration of the first humans landing on the moon on July 20th, 1969. Just five decades ago, our nation expanded the stretch of our reach as humans beyond planet Earth. Perhaps Jim Lovell's character in the 1995 Apollo 13 movie said it best as he reflected on this milestone in history: "From now on we live in a world where man has walked on the moon. And it's not a miracle, we just decided to go." For the 50+ years since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, humans have made amazing advances across all STEAM disciplines because they "decided" to collaborate towards common goals. As a school community we have established goals to educate our students in STEAM and to prepare them to ask questions and solve problems in our ever-changing, global society. Our students will continue with Earth's trend to advance STEAM across the planet as they mature into the global citizens that SWR prepares them to be.

Typically the Vernal Equinox is a time when excitement builds in our schools as we celebrate the winding down of another successful school year, graduate our seniors and prepare for summer break. While COVID-19 has made this school year more atypical then any of us could have ever imagined, we still have so much to celebrate. Our distance learning is a great success; our students and faculty have successfully harnessed the power of technology to stay connected as a community while still maintaining social distancing in order to work towards flattening the curve. People all over the world have banded together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic while even more continue to help with acts of kindness and support for our heroes in healthcare and our first responders. Rainbows can be seen posted all over the world as beacons of hope; this storm shall pass and we will see the rainbow at the end of this pandemic. We trust that our passion, knowledge and advances in STEAM coupled with the kindness and compassion evident from humans all over the world will carry us and we will get through this as a planet.

As Buzz Aldrin Tweeted this December . . . "Take a good, long, honest, positive look at what good can come out of every situation you’re in. Wherever you are, that’s where you are. You’re there with it. This is your history you’re living right now. So do what you can to make the most of what comes along." I have never been more proud to be the Director of STEM at SWR as we live our history, I'm continually excited to hear about all that our students are accomplishing even "from a distance."

This year on May 19, 2020 we had plans to celebrate our 5th Annual STEAM Symposium in our High School Gymnasium, as has become one of our celebrated traditions. In the spirit of continuing our programs for the community, this year our STEAM Symposium will be held virtually and will exhibit some of our educators highlighting rainbow-themed STEAM activities. We know how important it is right now for our students to hear our voices and see our faces. We miss them all! We have done our best so that students and their families will see our educators offering STEAM Symposium activities the same way they would if we could physically have our 5th Annual STEAM Symposium - kinda!

We have done our best to select simple household items for these activities that you can share as families in your own homes. Just click on the links below by grade-level and enjoy. Also check out our Readings about Rainbows for more fun! Please share a picture or two of your family enjoying this virtual STEAM Symposium using the form at the bottom of the page. Also, scroll down to the bottom of the page for some bonus content including links to family time capsules to commemorate this time as we "live our history." Thank you for allowing us to share these wonderful experiences with your families in celebration of SWR STEAM and the rainbow that will soon stretch across our skies after the COVID-19 storm.

A very special thank you to all of my colleagues that went the extra mile to make this year another success: Mr. Jason Andria, Ms. Nani Badalian, Ms. Cara Brown, Ms. Jennie Calvert, Ms. Sam Conklin, Ms. Kim DiPaola, Ms. Jen Ernst, Ms. Kris Hanson, Ms. Ann-Marie Kalin, Ms. Krista LaBarbara, Ms. Jacki Margraf, Mrs. Jen Medordi, Mr. Kevin Nohejl, Ms. Donna O'Connell, Ms. Rose Petruzzellis, Mr. Tom Redman, Ms. Lori Racaniello, Mr. Nick Vertucci, Mr. Fred Volz, Mrs. Nicole Waldbauer, Mrs. Marie Wern & Mr. Mike Wern.

Be Well SWR!

Dr. Amy Meyer

SWR Director of STEM

ameyer@swr.k12.ny.us

p.s. Check our SWR Stories page for more from our SWR faculty and staff!