Vanguard Gifted Academy launches spring STEAM Enrichment Series

Vanguard Gifted Academy in Batavia is launching a major community outreach initiative this spring to ensure high-level STEAM enrichment is accessible to all students in the Fox Valley.

By hosting free after-hours events and partnering with local organizations for summer scholarships, the school is working to remove barriers for curious learners in the Batavia area.

“We want to make sure that every student who wants this level of challenge gets it,” says Amy Trujillo, head of school. “Our after-hours events are specifically designed to welcome our neighbors — including families from the Batavia Apartments — into a collaborative world of logic and discovery.”

The accessible enrichment series kicks off with the “Symphony of Numbers” Math Circle on Saturday, March 7, a free hands-on logic club for ages 3-12.

Following this, the school will host the Discovery Day STEM Festival on Saturday, April 11, from noon to 4 p.m., a free community-wide event featuring engineering challenges and interactive math play.

The spring series concludes with the Julia Robinson Math Festival on Saturday, May 2, a non-competitive celebration of mathematical puzzles and collaborative strategy.

Registration is also open for Vanguard’s Innovation Odyssey Summer Camp, running through June and July.

The camp features modules on robotics, engineering, art, and science inquiry. To ensure inclusivity, Vanguard has applied for grants to offer scholarships.

“Our summer camp is for everyone,” Trujillo adds. “It’s about bringing together diverse thinkers to solve complex problems through the lens of STREAM (science, technology, research, engineering, arts, and math).”

For more information or registration, visit vanguardgiftedacademy.org or call (224) 213-0087.