Tiger Tuesday set the stage for collaboration and inspiration as Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School seventh graders visited Croton-Harmon High School to participate in a Science Research and Computer Science Fair led by high school students. The event placed peer to peer learning at the center, giving younger students the opportunity to explore advanced STEM coursework through direct conversations with the students who are living it every day.

The visit reflects a broader K-12 commitment to STEM across the district. Foundational skills and curiosity are nurtured beginning in elementary school, and that momentum deepens in middle school, where hands-on innovative experiences become a central part of student life. The InDe Lab at PVC is especially popular among students, offering engaging opportunities in design, technology, and problem solving that help prepare them for the expanded research and computer science pathways awaiting them at Croton-Harmon High School.

For this Tiger Tuesday, two gymnasiums were transformed into interactive learning spaces with science research projects in one and computer science in the other. High school students stood beside their displays, explaining their work, answering questions, and demonstrating programs and experiments as PVC students rotated from station to station.

The event highlighted both strong participation and achievement in STEM at Croton-Harmon High School and the leadership of the students who organized it. Teachers Soyoung Lim, Laura Lynch, and Daniel Burgo guided their students in preparing for the fair, ensuring that presentations reflected depth of learning and pride in their work.

“The fairs allow older students to positively engage and influence seventh graders in these content areas of science,” said PVC math teacher Tracey Finan. “A big thank you to the teachers for organizing and preparing their CHHS students for this double event.”

In Ms. Lim’s Computer Science 1 course, students spent the semester developing original projects with a culminating opportunity to share their work with middle school students.

“We talked about how we can engage the younger generation of Croton students,” Ms. Lim said. “They came up with the idea of sharing their technology with the middle school students. My students are really proud of themselves, and it has boosted their self esteem greatly. This creates a connection between high school students and middle school students.”

Senior Gabby Stok, who completed Computer Science 1 and 2 and now studies AP Computer Science, showcased a Wordle style game she programmed using Java. Players enter a five letter word and receive feedback on correct letters and placement, demonstrating both technical precision and creative problem solving.

Sophomore Patrick Caulfield presented a portfolio of Scratch projects linked through HTML websites he built himself. “In computer science, we learn how to create all kinds of projects, from animations and maze games to chatbots,” he said. “I made this website to bring them together so the middle school students can explore what is possible.”

The event also highlighted the STEM Academic Concentration available at Croton-Harmon High School. Academic concentrations, earned across grades 9 through 12, offer a comprehensive curriculum that challenges students to pursue their passions, think critically, collaborate effectively, and innovate across disciplines. The intention of the STEM concentration is to allow students to explore areas of interest in greater depth, see connections across subject areas, and understand how their learning connects to the world beyond school.

For PVC seventh graders, the visit offered more than a glimpse of high school coursework. From elementary classrooms to the InDe Lab and into advanced high school research spaces, the opportunities to discover STEM are clear, connected, and designed to grow alongside students’ interests and confidence.