Elementary students got a chance to enjoy some gooey fun while learning a science lesson ahead of the holiday break.

The tank has visited the school for several years, giving students a glimpse of what is made locally in Allen County that is used by military personnel around the world.

“That’s ultimately what I decided to do was go work for Crown, because while I was in UNOH, I went for automotive high performance diesel and alternative fuels. And now I became a welder, because I fell in love with that welding and fabrication aspect,” said Cherokee Whitenight, lead welder at Crown Equipment Corporation.

Students and their families enjoyed karaoke, games, and a variety of activities organized by Freedom Elementary staff.

All week, students explored careers in STEM and manufacturing through hands-on experiences at local businesses and organizations.

“We're the last line of defense,” Welker said. “We feel strongly that we're here to protect the environment, and it's a complicated procedure, but we're going to explain to them how we use biology to get waste out of water so it can be returned back into the water use stream.”

“The staff that we have this year, they're very qualified, so it's encouraging to have a lot of yearly returners coming back and being leaders again for consecutive years, building relationships and bonds with everybody,” said Julia Washington-Allen, Summer Playground Coordinator. “It's also very important to us that we hire individuals who work with children throughout the year, so having teachers who are qualified to teach and to interact with these children and be positive influences is something that we strive for every year.”

Many Lima students and their families attended the annual STEAM Family Night, where children explored more than 18 stations featuring fun activities focused on science, technology, engineering, art and math.

4th graders at St. Charles getting a hands-on experience with all 88 keys of the piano on Friday.