With Funding from the Vermont Space Grant Consortium, Carpenter-Carse Library is offering a series of monthly after-school programs for students in Kindergarten through grade 4 during the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year. Educator and Mathematical Sciences Director for The Vermont Governor's Institute, Linda Segovia Wise has created a program called “STEM Explorers” that is designed to offer STEM enrichment in a fun and engaging environment. In this playful and curiosity-driven program, students will explore real-world challenges and creative problem solving through different themes. Our goal is for students to discover how STEM is part of everyday life and to give them an opportunity to build confidence in collaborative problem-solving and creative thinking. Contact jen@carpentercarse.org to sign up for one or all four monthly programs.

Session 3: Take It to the Limit with Candy Math Friday, November 14th, 3:00-4:15 What happens when you keep cutting something in half... again and again? Will you ever run out of halves? This month, students explore one of the coolest ideas in math - limits. Through hands-on fun with candy rope, paper, or stepping games, they'll test how many times they can split something in half. Skills: Fraction thinking, pattern recognition, early understanding of infinity and limits Big Idea: If you keep cutting in half, you’ll never quite run out—some things can go on forever!

Session 4: Unplugged Coding - Human Robots Friday, December 12th 3:00-4:15 Who needs a screen to code? This unplugged coding session introduces students to the building blocks of computer science through fun and active games. Students will write step-by-step instructions (“code”) for a “human robot” to follow and complete silly obstacle courses or dance moves. Along the way, they'll learn about algorithms, loops, debugging, and teamwork! Skills: Sequencing, logical thinking, collaboration. Big Idea: Coding is just giving clear directions- anyone can learn it!