Feeling Thankful across the CAST Schools Network

As we head into a weeklong break for schools, my wish for anyone reading this newsletter is restorative rest, joy and laughter. My appreciation for the work of educators is at a high pitch this week, especially after spending time at two events put on by two of our schools.

On Wednesday, I felt a sense of awe as I watched elementary students tackling hands-on activities designing mini helicopters, flying drones, experimenting with colors and heard these young people articulate their interest in STEM studies at the STEM Extravaganza at CAST STEM High School. Small children clamored to get close to the drone light show performed by students, after which I heard a parent turn to a school leader and say: “when will there be another one of these?”

In two short years since moving to its forever home at Palo Alto College, CAST STEM has become a beacon for STEM and hands-on learning on the Southside, and a standard bearer for excellence. I also had a chance to chat with some of the current CAST STEM students who had fanned out across the event as volunteers. Several shared that they had not envisioned themselves as college bound, or even academically inclined, yet they had found their place at CAST STEM, and felt cherished and supported in their dreams. This is what we are all about at CAST Schools.

Earlier that same day, I visited Murnin Elementary school in Northside, where juniors and seniors from CAST Teach High School are interning, working alongside teachers in classrooms where they oversee small group lessons, coach students individually, and partake in hands-on STEM activities. In a STEM lab, we chatted with two of our senior boys, both accepted with scholarships to study education at St. Mary’s University, a strong partner to CAST Teach High School. I am reminded that when young people have happy, joyful experiences with their own learning, and when they see behind the curtain of how curiosity is sparked in young minds, they are drawn to this field of education.

And yet, as we head into a season of gratitude, I also want to note that I am conscious of the long days our educators work, and the many tasks we continue to pile upon their strong shoulders. So if you are grateful for an educator in your life, be sure to let them know – that gratitude can be the encouragement that keeps them moving forward.

Jeanne Russell

Executive Director, CAST Schools