When the doors opened at St. Gregory School on a warm spring evening, something special was in the air. Families poured in, students’ eyes were wide, and the hallways buzzed with curiosity and excitement. It was the school’s first STEM Night, and it became everything the organizers had hoped for and more.
Why STEM Matters
Across Canada, the conversation around science, technology, engineering, and math education has never been more important. A recent poll found that 95% of adults in Canada recognize the value of youth STEM education. At the same time, researchers and educators are sounding the alarm: critical shortages are expected in many STEM fields, including skilled trades, in the next decade.
STEM education lays the foundation that fosters the development of students who are creative thinkers and prepared to participate in a fast-changing world. Canadian teachers feel this responsibility deeply. 9 in 10 teachers agree that STEM skills and knowledge are important to students’ future education, careers, and citizenship.
And yet, turning that belief into lived experience for students and their families is a challenge that takes vision and planning. That is exactly what St. Gregory School set out to do.
A Vision for Community
The idea was simple but powerful: bring families into the school in a welcoming, no-pressure environment where learning and fun could happen side by side. Stephanie Brousseau, Vice-Principal at St. Gregory School had attended a similar event years earlier and knew that a STEM-focused evening could spark the same kind of joy.
From the beginning, Brousseau wanted the event to be accessible to every family. Working with the school’s Parent Council, all costs were fully covered so that there would be no barriers to participation. Families simply registered in advance and showed up ready to explore.
“I really wanted it to be a no-cost, no-expectation event so that all families could participate,” said Brousseau.
Months of Planning, One Incredible Night
Behind the scenes, the planning process was extensive. Brousseau and Shannon Neill, a Kindergarten teacher at St. Gregory, spent months mapping out stations, sourcing materials, and determining the best locations throughout the school. In the end, they created 16 stations spread across the gym, primary hallway, coding area, and Learning Commons.
To help manage the flow of families, a clever “passport” system was introduced. Each passport was colour-coded to indicate a starting point, ensuring that no single station became overwhelmed and that every family had a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Teachers, Students, and Community Partners
The night would not have been possible without the remarkable generosity of St. Gregory’s staff. When Brousseau introduced the idea at a staff meeting, 17 teachers immediately volunteered to run stations that evening, with several others contributing their time beforehand.
Xavier De Souza, Co-op Teacher at St. Pius X High School, also answered the call. He connected Brousseau with eight responsible students looking for volunteer hours, and then showed up himself to lend a hand. The secondary students played an integral role in keeping the evening running smoothly.
Nina Carlucci from the Learning Technologies department brought Talebots to introduce primary coding activities. Jessica Doddridge from the French as a Second Language department loaned nine LEGO Spike kits, which Grade 6 Immersion students had pre-built so they were ready for coding activities at the junior level.
One of the evening’s most exciting additions came from a community partnership. Dwij Brahmbhatt, President of the Algonquin College Robotics Club, enthusiastically embraced the invitation to participate. Five club members attended, bringing with them a drone, an interactive robotic head named Nico, an Arduino coding activity, and a 3D printer that produced souvenir keepsakes for students right before their eyes.
Sixteen Stations of Wonder
From the moment families stepped inside, there was something for everyone. Stations included balloon cup launchers, LEGO challenge cards, balloon-powered LEGO cars, slime, kinetic sand, binary code bracelets, button making, marble runs, math mastery games, an estimation station with candies in jars, a boat-building float test, and bubble solution experiments. Every corner of the school became a place of discovery.
This kind of hands-on, joyful engagement is precisely what researchers say young learners need. Reports suggest that youth are particularly drawn to challenges that help them build skills to solve real-world problems, and the variety of stations at STEM Night reflected exactly that spirit.
A Turnout Beyond Expectations
When planning began, the school council estimated that perhaps 75 students might attend. The actual turnout far exceeded everyone’s expectations, with over 200 students and their families coming through the doors. Seeing so many members of the St. Gregory community gathered together in one place was, perhaps, the most rewarding part of the evening for staff.
The feedback from families was overwhelmingly positive, with many calling it the best event ever held at St. Gregory School.
More Than Science: Building Community
Educators, too, left the evening with full hearts. In addition to the energy and engagement at every station, staff appreciated the rare opportunity to connect with parents in a relaxed, informal setting.
When families experience that mindset together, something powerful happens. Learning becomes a shared adventure rather than something that happens only within school walls.
STEM Night at St. Gregory was a living expression of the OCSB’s commitment to #BeCommunity, bringing together students, families, educators, and community partners in a shared celebration of curiosity and wonder. And if the enthusiasm in the hallways that night was any indication, this will not be the last time St. Gregory opens its doors for an evening of discovery. Teachers have already committed to making STEM Night an annual tradition.
