Student’s Kinetic Sculptures are Full “STEAM” Ahead

Everyone loves a parade, and some of our island’s educators are loving it even more. Among the many artists and creatives preparing their human-powered sculptures for the May 14th Stanley Papio Kinetic Sculpture Parade are a handful of teachers creatively engaging in STEAM initiatives as they work with students in creating their own kinetic art sculptures.

Seana Cameron  and her sixth graders at HOB are one of five Key West schools (Key West Collegiate Academy, Key West Montessori Charter School, Sigsbee Charter School and Horace O’Bryant Elementary School) awarded scholarships to help fund the transformation of tricycles into Kinetic Sculpture Floats. The project is providing them countless opportunities to tap into STEAM, an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.

“The students revel in the problem-solving and the puzzling of how it will work,” says Cameron, who has been teaching for more than 29 years. “They are playful and even have a sense of aesthetic and style that must accompany any project.”

STEAM is an acronym that might be more familiar as STEM— The “A” (for Art/Design) has recently been government mandated into the STEM initiative which aims to support students in reaching their full potential, creating the future innovators, educators, leaders and learners of the 21st century.  Cameron’s methods of teaching integrate all curricular areas and she relies heavily on the development of ideas through discussion and exploration, learning that is at the heart of STEAM.

“The process for this construction is further enriched by asking of ourselves what the story or narrative of the piece is,” she says. “Without a narrative it is simply an object that moves. The narrative begets the art.”   

Key West Art & Historical Society Education Director Adele Williams is visiting the participating schools with a presentation on late Keys folk artist Stanley Papio, a humorous rebel metal-artist who explored the value of recycled materials long before it was hip to be rusty.

“A kinetic parade is the perfect amalgamation of STEAM subjects,” says Williams. “If students are provided with a practical application for areas that they have been studying, the cross-disciplinary learning can’t help but happen.”

While none of Papio’s sculptures were intended to move, the parade reflects his rebel approach to art and life. Williams’ presentation offers students examples of his work and demonstrates varying principals of kinetics that could be applied to their kinetic sculpture floats. (The presentation will also be made available online at  www.papioskineticparade.com).

The family-friendly event is open to anyone, regardless of age or artistic level, and aims to honor Papio while promoting the artistic culture of the Florida Keys.

“So far, I’ve really enjoyed watching the problem solving, collaboration and creativity,” says Cameron.

And all of this before the actual parade has even started.

Registration for parade entrants is $25 for Kinetic Sculpture Floats and $15 for Art Bikes; cash prizes will be awarded for various categories. Deadline is May 1st for Kinetic Sculpture Floats and May 12th for Art Bike entries (limited to first 100 registrants). Artist timeline and expectations can be found here: www.papioskineticparade.com/artist-timeline.htm.

The Papio Kinetic Sculpture Parade supported in part by The Knight Foundation Knight Arts Challenge, The Helmerich Trust, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.  For registration information, event schedule, entry guidelines and pre-parade workshop information, visit www.papioskineticparade.com or call Adele Williams, 305.295.6616 x 115.   Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

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