Long Beach’s East School students may be apart physically, but they are reinforcing their connection through creativity and innovation. Each week, the building’s administrators and faculty members invite families to participate in challenges based on specific themes. They have received an enthusiastic response – students are excited to put their STEAM skills into play as they tackle each task, evident in the pictures that parents share.

The Creative Connected Challenge kicked off during the week of April 20 and honored Earth Day with a call to create self-portraits from materials found in nature. Students transformed sticks, rocks and other items into works of art. The second week involved an engineering approach as students took on a building mission. They brought their ideas for forts, castles, models, towers and more to fruition with objects of their choice. 

Week three put a superhero spin on the initiative. Students discovered that simple household items were the fabrics of champions as they crafted costumes, shields or structures that represented their favorite heroes. Most recently, East students celebrated friendship during the week of May 11. They were encouraged to call a friend, share a thoughtful greeting and make something original as a gift. 

This is just one example of the many ways that the district’s schools are keeping students engaged in learning while reminding them that they are all part of the Long Beach family.