STE[a]M-Lab project launches at Caguas elementary school

The Future Makers: STE[a]M-Lab pilot project at Abelardo Díaz Morales School in Caguas consists of eight introductory STE[a]M workshops designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and innovation through educational and hands-on experiences.

By The Star Staff

Caguas Mayor William Miranda Torres announced this week the municipality’s support for the Future Makers: STE[a]M-Lab pilot project at Abelardo Díaz Morales School through the sponsorship of workshops and dynamic educational experiences for students and teachers.

“I firmly believe in the transformative power of STE[a]M education as a way for our children to acquire the skills and knowledge that will later help them in the selection of their professional careers,” the mayor said during the project’s inauguration. “Projects such as Future MakersÑ STE[a]M-Lab promote the training of creative, critical and innovative citizens. Caguas reaffirms its commitment as an Education City and to be an engine of innovation, equity and excellence in Puerto Rico.”

The program, which will run from this month to May 2026, consists of eight introductory STE[a]M workshops designed to foster critical thinking, creativity, and innovation through educational and hands-on experiences. The workshops will be financed through the Municipal Education Department of Caguas and will be aimed at 75 4th grade students and 42 teachers at the school. The workshops will be offered by resources from the Caribbean Criollo Center for Science and Technology (C3Tec) in Caguas and will cover the following topics: introduction to STE[a]M disciplines for students and teachers; for students: electricity in action, code explorers and introduction to design with 3D Pen; and for teachers: introduction to 3D printing, introduction to block programming and introduction to robotics.

“The Department of Education enthusiastically celebrates the start of the project at Abelardo Díaz Morales School in Caguas, as it represents an important step toward educational innovation and the integration of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics in our classrooms,” Education Secretary Eliezer Ramos Parés said. “Initiatives like this strengthen the skills of our students and teachers, and are an example of what we can achieve when we join forces with municipalities and private companies for the benefit of public education.”

The Education Department provided Abelardo Díaz Morales School classrooms with the necessary equipment, such as 3D printers, computers and robots, for the implementation of the program. In addition, Terumo Puerto Rico LLC, a medical equipment manufacturing company located in Caguas, donated 30 laboratory chairs.