Arvada West’s STEAM club, advised by robotics teacher Maria Gordon, allows students to come together, have fun, and construct things with their hands. STEAM club is an after school club that focuses on the core aspects of STEAM: science technology, engineering, arts and math skills. It can also help students who want to pursue engineering as their career after high school. 

“Steam Club is a social organization. It’s an organized group of students who have similar career goals and fun goals and friends who want to participate in activities related to engineering or stem” Gordon explains.

The club participates in many competitions, many of which take place after school. However, they also have offsite competitions where they compete with other clubs, such as the Colorado Technology Student Association’s Conference, and The United States Department of Energy’s High School Regional Science Bowl.

Nichole Byars, a 9th grade student at A-West, shares how she joined Steam Club: “Originally, my friend asked our group chat, ‘hey, does anyone want to come to this with me?’ And I showed up, and then I stayed because Steam club gives you lettering points, and lettering gets you into really good colleges.” 

Overall, STEAM Club is a place where “students can come together with an interest in engineering and crafting with their hands and imaginations” states Gordon. The club allows students to have fun building elaborate projects including cardboard robots, spaghetti towers, and lasting friendships, all while furthering their career interests. 

What means the most to Gordon, however, is “They (students) grow in communication, and they do so through having fun.”