142 HAWAII PARENT July/August 2025 IT’S A WEE THING The youngest students in the EARLY LEARNING CENTER (ELC), ages 3 to 5, already thrive in the STEAM areas. Cynthia McIntyre ‘91 says, “Our biggest goal for the ELC is for our students to develop a love of math and science through play-based activities that build their confidence and provides a solid foundation for their future.” One of the most exciting programs is the WEE Engineering Program. These girls learn daily by asking and answering questions through hands-on exploration. This integrates creativity with concrete academic learning through technology. Technology is interwoven throughout the ELC curriculum with iPads and Apps utilized in daily activities. Stories, puzzles, and more come to life on student iPads. In addition, SACRED HEARTS ACADEMY is proud of their Robotics Labs, one housed in the Lower School and another IT LEADS TO GREATER ACHIEVEMENT Research shows that STEAM is the best educational approach that leads to greater student achievement. STEAM also enhances literacy and mathematical skills while greatly boosting cognitive development. Furthermore, 82 percent of students who were confident in STEAM also felt confident in school, and 95 percent of teachers report that hands-on learning, like STEAM activities, builds students’ confidence. IT’S JUST PLAIN FUN! Because the STEAM approach extends beyond lectures and memorization, it encompasses hands-on experiences, experimentation, demonstrations, and play. STEAM activities engage all types of learners and lead to those “aha” moments when connections are made and learning becomes fun. “STEAM also encompasses Language Arts, Humanities, Music, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, and Media.
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