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Charles Kelley showcases after-school STEM club with coding, Legos and teamwork
Summary
Charles Kelley Elementary presented a new after-school STEM club led by fourth-grade teacher Shannon McAllister; students described coding exercises, Lego challenges and teamwork skills—organizers said the club emphasizes perseverance, problem solving and collaboration.
Charles Kelley Elementary School administrators presented an after-school STEM club to the Upper Darby School Board on Feb. 11, describing coding lessons, Lego engineering challenges and group problem-solving exercises designed to build persistence and collaboration.
Principal Dina Williams introduced the program and credited volunteer teacher Shannon McAllister with leading the club. Assistant Principal Cynthia Mallord said students work on online coding exercises, test theories of motion and balance with Lego sets, and participate in team challenges such as building a basketball-launch device or a model roller coaster that require measured planning and steady collaboration.
Student comments played in the presentation and one student said that when projects “are not working, I get overwhelmed… but my teacher, thanks Miss McAllister, she taught me how to breathe, take my deep breaths” and described slowing down to solve problems. Mallord and Williams emphasized that the activities give students hands-on experience with the design process and encourage skills — perseverance, grit and collaboration — that they described as useful beyond the classroom.
Next steps: school leaders said the club will continue as an optional, after-school activity and plan to expand activities to additional groups of students in future sessions.
