L.C. Swain Middle School in Greenacres is now home to a new state-of-the-art STEM classroom.
The school was one of 20 to win a classroom makeover grant from Florida Power and Light.
Sign up for our Newsletters
Stay up to date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
“We have a lot of stuff here! We have robots, we have drones. I like a lot of drones. I like to fly a lot. We can interact with our friends, too,” student Engleson Martinez said.
The school won a grant from FPL and the Ventus Charitable Foundation for a STEM classroom makeover.
Now, after a year of renovations, the classroom has a new robotics lab with brand-new furniture, laptops and robotics equipment.
The new room was unveiled at a ceremony Tuesday morning.
“One of my teachers applied for the grant. I didn’t think he was going to get it. And then, he came to me and said, ‘Hey, I got it!’ I was like, ‘Oh, yay!’ So, you know, at that point, we were ready to rock ‘n’ roll with the funding, just ordering everything to make this reveal amazing,” Isha Reyes, principal of L.C. Swain Middle School, said.
But it’s not just about having fun — it’s a chance for kids to get exposure to STEM that they might not have had otherwise.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
“At least when they’re in middle school, in sixth, seventh and eighth grade, they have the opportunity to tinker around, learn a little bit about robotics. Hopefully, they could have a future in robotics, but even if they don’t have a future in robotics, they’re going to still learn about it. They’re going to learn how to work together,” Reyes said.
Students also got to hear from a mechanical engineer who once walked in their shoes and went on to establish a successful career in STEM.
“That passion I want to give to the kids — I want them to see that STEM is fun. It’s engaging. Anybody can do it; you just have to communicate. And so, I hope when I come out here that they see a happy-go-lucky guy who just happened to love STEM,” Richard Worthy, a mechanical engineer for FPL, said.
Reyes said the teacher overseeing the classroom will undergo professional development training over the summer so he can dive right into teaching students in the new classroom in the fall.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
TOP STORIES FROM WPBF:
Special edition Stanley tumblers are selling out, but these are still in stock
READ THE FULL STORY:Palm Beach County middle school unveils new STEM classroom
CHECK OUT WPBF:Get the latest West Palm Beach news. WPBF gives you online, anytime access to the biggest Florida news and West Palm Beach weather of the day.