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Dream Big! Today is STEM/STEAM Day!

STEM Day is celebrated every year on Nov. 8 to encourage young people to explore science, technology, engineering, and math education programs.

At the Bureau of Labor Statistics, when we talk about STEM occupations, these include computer and mathematical, architecture and engineering, and life and physical science occupations, as well as related managerial and postsecondary teaching occupations and sales occupations that require scientific or technical knowledge at the postsecondary level.

In 2021, there were nearly 10 million workers in STEM occupations and this total is projected to grow by almost 11% by 2031, over two times faster than the total for all occupations.

Carver youth create bookmarks given to attendees of the Community Fund of Darien's "Designed to Dine" fundraising luncheon

By student volunteer, Julia Berg

Students take turns selecting a strip of colored construction paper to decorate as a bookmark.

They pick out a foam heart, easter egg, grass, and a letter from the numerous colors and shapes of foam stickers on the table in front of them. They peel off the white strip on the back, carefully placing the sticker on their bookmark.

Several students choose to line the side of their bookmark with grass while other students who place the bookmark vertically, choose to evenly space a couple sections of grass.

Occasionally, a pattern of a foam fish or other foam figures catches the students’ eyes. They customize their bookmarks further using glitter and markers.

The bookmarks were created for the Community Fund of Darien luncheon, featuring the area’s finest 30 designers, who presented imaginative tablescapes. The Community Fund of Darien is a longtime major donor and advocate of Carver programs.

The featured speakers at the luncheon were renowned husband and wife Pilar Guzman and Chris Mitchell. Pilar is the former editor-in-chief of Conde Nast Traveler and Martha Stewart Living. Chris is a former publisher of Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, GQ, Wired, and others.

All guests received a signed copy of their new book, Patina Modern: A Guide to Designing Warm, Timeless Interiors — along with the Carver students' bookmarks. It was a great privilege for Carver youth to add their personal touch to this important event!

Volunteer Julia Berg tells us lively stories about our summer and after-school students at the Carver Community Center. See more of her stories here.

Our Fox Run Elementary School Scholars and parents build wooden sign pieces from scratch that are worthy of their home walls

Our Fox Run Elementary School Scholars Transition Program students and their parents brought their creativity and willingness to learn to build wooden sign pieces from scratch that are worthy of their home walls. They rolled up your sleeves, distressed some wood, and created farmhouse-classic masterpieces that they can be proud of for years to come.

Students in our Scholars Transition Program throughout Norwalk are being prepared for successful entry into their respective middle schools.

In response to student performance data, surveys, parent meetings, and years of after-school and summer programming, Carver provides hands-on, project-based, personalized learning experiences.

In addition to providing individual support in literacy, math, and science, Carver offers a wide array of enrichment opportunities not available during the school day.

Carver programming is organized around six core principles: high expectations with the final goal of transitioning to the next grade on time and prepared; academic rigor focused on project-based learning and individualized learning; building healthy relationships; Student Voice and taking responsibility; building community through defined structures of cooperative decision-making; and a youth development approach to instruction that recognizes individual strengths, needs, and learning styles.

Roton Middle School students paint pumpkins for their families in time for Halloween!

Dean Vaccaro, a U.S. History Teacher during the day and the Carver Lead Program Coordinator at our R.A.M.S. after-school program at Roton Middle School, shared these images of his students painting pumpkins in time to take them home for Halloween.

Stefanie Bronner, a Roton Middle School art teacher, inspired and led this project again this year.

Our after-school programs occur within the student's respective schools and are led by each school’s daytime certified teachers. Recreational, wellness, and cultural components enhance a variety of skills for children. Our primary goal is for all Carver students to transition to the next grade on time and prepared.

Along the way, another goal is for our students to have fun each day!

If you ask us, pumpkins are the best Halloween decorations. But unless you possess master carving skills, all those intricately carved creations can be slightly intimidating. An easy no-carve idea for pumpkins is to paint the gourds. It's fun for our students to show off their creativity (without having to deal with all those pumpkin guts). And that's not the only benefit to painted pumpkins — they also tend to last much longer than their carved brethren.

Our Brookside Elementary School Scholars Program Students & Families Visit Silverman’s Farm

Silverman’’s Farm yields much more than a container of juicy fruit. Time at the farm also provides a pleasurable place to have fun and make discoveries. The Silverman’s Farm Market and Animal Farm offer great experiences and memories for everyone.

Silverman’s Farm in Easton turns 102 years old this year. Ben Silverman founded Silverman’s Farm. Born in New York City in 1898, like Carver’s namesake, George Washington Carver, Ben loved plants and gardening. At 18, he moved to Connecticut and began working on cow farms for $1.00 daily. When WWI broke out, Ben worked at a munitions factory in Bridgeport. He saved enough to purchase his first land on Sport Hill Road in Easton.

During the ’70s and ’80s, Silverman’s evolved into a Pick Your Own fruit farm featuring a widespread orchard, scenic tractor rides, and a petting farm with many barnyard animals and fowl. Today's farm offers children such as Carver students and their families a place of wonder and fun.

Carver's After the Bell students support Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Every October, people all over the world show their support for everyone affected by breast cancer — including our After the Bell before- and after-school school students at Brookside Elementary School.

Carver kids created awareness t-shirts and learned new STEAM skills along the way!

The pink ribbon is a symbol of breast cancer awareness. It is associated with individual generosity, faith in scientific progress, and an optimistic "can-do" attitude. It encourages individuals to focus on the ultimate vision of a cure for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month was created in 1985 to promote screening and prevention of the disease, affecting one in eight women in the United States annually and 2.3 million women worldwide.