At Maria Moreno STEAM Academy, students can be seen playing chess, building robots, and using toy cars in their lessons.
From hands-on experiments to creative art projects, every lesson is designed to spark innovation and connect learning to real-world experiences, helping students understand how science, technology, engineering, art, and math are part of everyday life.
Being part of a STEAM school means that every day offers a new opportunity to explore how the world works.
“We get to test a lot of materials and make sure we stay safe while doing it,” said Ellie T., a fifth grader. “I learn a lot from my teachers.”
Ellie’s favorite subject is science, where curiosity meets creativity.
Recently, she and her classmates applied concepts like velocity and motion using toy cars and ramps to test their hypotheses.
Working in teams, students assembled ramps from classroom materials, released toy cars from the top, and measured how far they traveled using rulers. They recorded their observations and used their data to refine their next round of experiments, a process that mirrors the work of real scientists and engineers.
That commitment to inquiry and continuous improvement is a hallmark of Maria Moreno’s approach to excellence. Teachers encourage students to experiment, collaborate, and think critically, skills that prepare them to thrive in an ever-changing, technology-driven world.
One of the most popular lessons among students involves exploring electricity and circuitry.
“We learned so much about insulators and conductors,” said fifth grader Tomas C.
For Ellie, that lesson had an even greater impact.
“I want to be an engineer, now that I see what they can do,” she said.
Tomas, who attended Maria Moreno since pre-K, said the school’s supportive environment has helped him grow both academically and personally.
“I wouldn’t be so smart if it weren’t for my teachers,” he said.
His favorite subject is math, which challenges him to think logically and persevere through complex problems.
He’s also quick to point out how math applies to everyday life.
“If something costs $13.99 and you pay with a $20 bill, you can figure out how much change you get,” he said.
Tomas also enjoys helping classmates who might struggle with a concept, demonstrating leadership and the collaborative spirit at the heart of the school’s culture.
“Never give up and keep trying, get your mindset in the right place,” he said.
The deadline to apply to application-based schools, like Maria Moreno, for the 2026-2027 school year is Jan. 31, 2026.
