District 99 hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) Lab on April 30th. The lab is housed at Columbus West Elementary, 5425 S. 31st St., Cicero, IL. This lab is the fifth STEAM lab to be opened in the last two school years; the goal is to open one more lab this year and eventually have a STEAM lab at every school in District 99. “Our STEAM labs are open to all students and serve an important function by allowing to complete hands-on, real-world application of 21st Century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, creativity and innovation,” said Superintendent Rudy Hernandez. The STEAM lab is designed for students’ Pre-K to 6 grade at Columbus West and will be used to supplement all curricular areas with an emphasis on integrated projects focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.