District Welcomes 800 Attendees to 3rd Annual Baldwin Family STEAM Night

Exploring bubble shapes. Mastering a hammer. Drumming the bongos. Interacting with curious rodents. The Baldwin Family S.T.E.A.M. Night continues to raise the bar. Now in its third year, the educational evening took place at the Long Island Children’s Museum (LICM), a non-profit established in 1993 that focuses on inspiring creativity and collaboration. The fun learning experience was exclusively open to Baldwin families.

“Events like Baldwin Family S.T.E.A.M. Night are powerful in strengthening the home-school connection, allowing families to see firsthand the passion and commitment we bring to our classrooms every day,” explained Ms. Lynette O’Brien, the S.T.E.A.M. education teacher for Baldwin UFSD. “These interactions with students and their families help foster a sense of belonging, excitement for learning, and a deeper appreciation for the role of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics in their lives.”

Attracting 800 participants from across Baldwin elementary schools, the LICM provided a platform for engaging in stimulating activities while discovering the marvels of S.T.E.A.M. in a lively and interactive atmosphere. Once located in a modest venue, the museum now sits on Museum Row at Mitchel Field and boasts 14 interactive galleries, a theater, and classrooms—fostering exploration and skill development for all ages.

The Baldwin families conducted experiments, created projects, and engaged with museum exhibits, which included Moon to Mars, Bubbles, Sound Showers, Community Gallery, Tool Box, Feasts to Beasts, Pattern Studio and Sandy Island. The students also enjoyed the live animals and scaling the “Climb-It@LICM” exhibit—a two-story sculpture consisting of winding pathways and climbable levels. They even experienced what it is like to be a news anchor for News 12 Long Island in a simulated newsroom. 

The educational evening turned out to be another well-received initiative organized by Baldwin UFSD for families.

“The Baldwin Family S.T.E.A.M. Night was a truly remarkable celebration of community and collaborative learning,” said Dr. Shari L. Camhi, superintendent of schools. "Seeing hundreds of families actively participating with their children emphasized the importance of family involvement in education and how it enriches our students' learning experiences. This event showcased the district’s mission to provide relevant and challenging real-world learning experiences for everyone. It was also clear from this event that our community is both engaged and supportive of our initiatives. I would like to express my gratitude to our teachers, especially Ms. Lynette O’Brien, our Baldwin S.T.E.A.M. teacher, and our administrators for making this innovative educational experience at the Long Island Children’s Museum possible.”

Ms. O’Brien expressed how proud she was to be a Baldwin teacher, working alongside such a dedicated and inspiring group of educators. “Everyone’s commitment to our students and their growth extends beyond the classroom, and it does not go unnoticed,” she explained.

“From helping to organize the event, setting up for the night, collecting tickets and joining in on hands-on activities to sparking curiosity through engaging conversations, each of our teachers played an essential role in making this event both educational and memorable. The joy on our students’ faces as they explored, questioned, and discovered was wonderful and exciting to be a part of,” she remarked. 

A sign dangling near the entrance of the museum reads, “At LICM…the future is always present.” This phrase especially resonates with Baldwin schools as the district continually strives to develop new educational programs and curricula designed to ensure that every student graduates "future ready!"