Students Shine at College Park Elementary STEM Lab Ribbon Cutting
With oversized scissors in hand and even bigger smiles, College Park Elementary students officially opened their new STEM lab on Wednesday morning, and they did it in style.
From the moment guests arrived, the students took charge. They greeted school board members, community leaders, introduced honored guests, and guided the program with poise that would rival seasoned emcees. There was a specific level of gratitude for their STEM teacher, Mrs. Deandrea Smith-Davis. Their voices carried excitement, their smiles showed pride, and their love for science was contagious.
Jayceon Amey, Aubri Washington, Aishe Ceesay, Aniyah Gay, and Aalana Davis are all leaders from Altruism, Reveur, Amistad, and Isibindim, the school’s house system that builds spirit through collaboration, competition, and loyalty.
“Today is about their leadership,” College Park Principal, Dr. Maisha Otway remarked. “They’ve worked so hard to prepare for this, and it shows.”
The ribbon cutting was more than a ceremony. It was a celebration of curiosity. Guests began in the Media Center, where student leaders welcomed everyone, before moving to the official ribbon cutting complete with perfectly posed photos and oversized scissors. But the real action came inside the new lab.
There, students eagerly explained their projects: an exploration of electronic circuits, a hands-on demonstration of the water cycle with plastic bags of water steaming in the sun, and other experiments that mixed imagination with science. Each explanation was more than a presentation. It was storytelling, and the students owned it.
The day also extended beyond the lab walls. Outside, students showcased the Mobile Learning Bus, a collaboration with Kennesaw State University. Outfitted with interactive activities, the bus brings STEM learning on the road and gives all students across Fulton County a chance to experience hands-on science.
The new STEM lab is part of Toyota’s Driving Possibilities initiative in partnership with the Fulton Education Foundation and Fulton County Schools. College Park Elementary is one of five schools in the program, along with Briar Hills and Asa G. Hilliard Elementary Schools and Paul D. West and Woodland Middle Schools. The initiative represents a multi-year investment in personnel, equipment, and programs designed to spark innovation and prepare students for the future.
But on this Wonderful Wednesday, the focus was not on the program details. It was on the students, their leadership, their confidence, and their ability to inspire.
They were not just showing off a new classroom. They were showing what is possible when young learners are given the tools, encouragement, and opportunities to lead.
