CreatiCon returns to Blind Brook Schools
May 8, 2024 at 11:29 p.m.
It’s been several years since CreatiCon has graced the Blind Brook Middle/High School halls.
Starting in 2016, the short-lived annual event served as a variety showcase for middle and high school students in the district to show off their creative work as part of the district’s focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM).
The last time the exhibition ran was in 2019, after which COVID-19 brought forth the cancellation of many in-person events.
But Thursday, May 16 will reintroduce the event to the building, albeit slightly different than it used to be, as the district isn’t the same as it was five years ago.
A different Blind Brook
When it started, CreatiCon was a celebration of STEAM, highlighting student creations both technological and artistic.
Previous years’ projects displayed included virtual reality demonstrations, sculptures and skits created by Blind Brook students from the middle/high schools.
Since the COVID-induced hiatus, the district has seen some changes.
In 2022, STEAM was replaced by Design, Innovation, Creation and Expression (DICE), a change in philosophy brought about by the late Board of Education member Ashley Welde.
Superintendent Dr. Colin Byrne said the shift stemmed from the connotations associated with STEAM.
“They think about it more like engineering, like you’re going to build or design something using tools and construction equipment, which it can be. But for me, it wasn’t really about that,” the superintendent said. “It was more about the thinking behind the process—the creative part, doing the hands-on work.”
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Dr. Michael Curtin said DICE was one of the reasons he was eager to join the district in Fall 2022.
“The emphasis that comes with DICE was one of the things that got me excited about coming here,” he recalled. “I like the more expansive definition.”
That definition allows for more interdisciplinary crossover between classes not traditionally associated with STEAM. All classrooms, regardless of the subject, are encouraged to use the Fab Lab, a facility in the building which gives students access to CNC (computer numerical control) and milling machines, laser engravers, 3D printers and more.
“DICE skills are infused in all of our everyday lives,” said Julie Schuster, a longtime supporter of the sciences at Blind Brook. Her late husband, Glen Schuster, served as a Board of Education member who was known as an advocate for a heightened STEM focus at the school district from 2008 to 2014. “Even simple things like packing your car to go on a long trip uses DICE skills.”
Now that the district’s shift away from STEAM has had several years to settle, the conversation to reintroduce CreatiCon found new relevance.
“We have a DICE committee that meets monthly,” Curtin explained. “We were talking, and people were remembering (CreatiCon) and saying we should bring it back. They felt it would help DICE be visible.”
Schuster, a member of the committee, said she and other parents were enthusiastic about reinstating the event.
“My kids graduated from Blind Brook several years ago, but I feel it’s really important for the kids who are passionate about DICE to have a showcase for what they’ve been doing,” she said.
Rebooting CreatiCon
While next week’s CreatiCon will look similar to the previous iterations of the event, the plans are different enough to be described as a “soft reboot” by Curtin.
One of the key differences is how it’s being advertised.
Schuster said CreatiCon had always felt more geared to the students who were involved in STEAM extracurricular activities. She recalled how her younger son, Justin, didn’t attend because STEAM wasn’t an interest of his at the time.
“I don’t think it was marketed as much as a community event,” the Bobbie Lane resident said. But administrators had noticed that one demographic tended to appear consistently.
“The sense was the event was well attended by families and little kids,” Curtin said. “The elementary-aged students were excited to be there.”
Schuster said promoting the event as a family affair would help introduce the idea that DICE skills have wide-ranging applicability, which is particularly important for younger students to grasp.
“I think it’s a really good opportunity for people in the community who have little kids who aren’t even in school yet to see how robust and engaged our students are in DICE,” she said.
To emphasize that idea even further, this year marks the first CreatiCon that sees students from Ridge Street Elementary School invited to contribute to the event.
Curtin said it was a way to capitalize on their already high attendance rate.
“Instead of just allowing them to be there, why not allow them to participate more actively?” he posed.
The assistant superintendent joked he spent so much time and effort preparing for CreatiCon, he’s hardly had the chance to be excited about what he might see from Blind Brook students. But there are still several exhibits he’s looking forward to seeing on May 16.
“We have a student making armor,” Curtin said. “It’s made out of 3D printed materials cardboard.”
Schuster expressed excitement about whatever the Blind Brook High School robotics team, the Jellyfish, are presenting.
“They’re a group that I’ve been in touch with a lot over the years,” she said. “The club is great for the little kids to see. It can get them engaged and excited for moving to middle school and high school to see opportunities they can have there.”
Among many projects, CreatiCon will also feature 3D architectural models created by middle schoolers, small wind-powered model cars designed by Ridge Street School fifth-graders, exhibitions of artwork made by the middle/high school art classes and more.
“We’re really aiming to capture all the creative aspects of DICE with this,” Curtin said.
The free event will be held in the gyms, hallways and classrooms at Blind Brook Middle/High School from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 16.
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