JOHN DAY — Right around 150 people made their way to Humbolt Elementary in Canyon City for a night of science, technology, engineering and math activities at Humbolt Family STEM Night on Thursday, March 13.

Teachers hosted one of seven STEM-themed activities in their classrooms during the event, which was sponsored by the Humbolt Parent-Teacher Association.

Kids and family members were given the opportunity to build their own beetles, paper spinners, leprechaun traps, towers and rubber duck swings. Two math stations were available for kids and family to take part in as well.

The first math activity was sponsored by the middle school math club and featured a series of math stations all having to do with the neverending number pi in honor of the fact that the event came the night before Pi Day (3/14). The other, consisting of math games kids and their families can play using either a deck of cards or dice, was sponsored by the school’s Title I program. Title I funding supports learning in schools with higher numbers of low-income students.

Materials somebody could easily find in their own home — such as egg cartons, pipe cleaners, straws, yarn, tape, marshmallows and toothpicks — were used for engineering activities like building the beetles, towers, leprechaun traps and rubber duck swings.

Kids and parents got to take anything they built at STEM Night home with them.

Kristal Hansen, a fourth grade teacher who also serves as co-treasurer of the Humbolt PTA, planned STEM Night. Hansen said it took about six weeks to plan the event.

“I reach out to teachers and try to get one teacher per grade level to volunteer their time tonight and put on an event,” she said. “Once they pick the events, we just keep it under our budget.”

Hansen said STEM Night is unique in that it is paid for by the Humbolt PTA but presented by Humbolt staff. “It’s actually a blended event,” she said.

All of the activities kids and parents had the opportunity to participate in had a theme rooted in science, technology, engineering or math. Hansen said this year’s activities focused more on engineering and math due to budget restrictions.

“We don’t have the funds really to do the technology side of it — which would be amazing, but technology is more expensive,” she said. Hansen said past STEM Night technology offerings were funded by the Oregon State University Extension Service.

Hansen said STEM Night is one of the more well-attended events Humbolt puts on every year. Hansen said she thinks that is because the entire family can participate in each of the events.

“I think it’s kind of fun for the adults with the kids — I think they like that,” she said.