Airplanes soaring high above, faces painted with flowers, and the enthusiastic giggling of children enjoying their treats – that’s what STEAM Night was this year.
Hosted annually by the Cresskill Robotics Team, STEAM Night is a vibrant fusion of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. It’s intended to be a local event where students, parents, and friends can immerse themselves in hands-on activities and see the magic of STEAM.
A few highlights of the event included the unveiling of the Robotics Team’s competition robot, crafting paper airplanes, competing against one another to build the best towers, getting fingerprinted, and even co-engineering catapults.
Personal Statements
To me, STEAM Night is something truly special and dear to my heart. Having attended it as a child in elementary school, returning to it as a high school volunteer is nostalgic. Instead of running around, holding my parents’ hand, and exploring the different stations, I’m the one helping bestow that joy onto children. Witnessing that joy and feeling the accomplishment that comes with being responsible with it is a feeling.
But enough of that, I wanted to explain my opinion on this STEAM Night.
2026 STEAM Night is my second year of helping organize the event. Last year, as an 8th grader, I helped out with the middle school robotics team (a different club entirely from the high school robotics team); this year I took on a different job, selling snacks and treats.
From this new, thrilling perspective, I got to see the Cresskill students and volunteers truly in action. The sheer amount of effort and care of a whole bunch of people all willing to be there to make others happy. That unity with a good purpose in mind is refreshing and fulfilling.
Comparing my experiences, this year felt robust. Packed with new stalls and a whole “Art Hall,” figuratively speaking, made the vibes electric. The whole event was filled with giggling, squealing children, decorated with a butterfly or some other bright cartoon on their face.
I definitely believe this year there was a bigger turnout and the overall spirit of the night felt more magical than ever. Tam, one of the organizers at the Robotics Team and Aerospace Club shares a similar sentiment,“The kids seemed very engaged and it seemed they had an amazing time at STEAM night.” It’s nice to see that the kids visiting truly enjoyed their time and got to learn about new subjects that they may have never heard about at their age before.
Final Thoughts
Without a doubt, this STEAM Night defined success for the upcoming years. There was nothing like seeing the smiles lighting up the faces of children and the relieved parents enjoying the momentary distraction. Genuinely, STEAM Night was a blast to be a part of, especially when helping out with friends. STEAM Night is one hell of an experience and I recommend it to all, even those who claim they’re too “old” for it. I can proudly say there’s nothing as fulfilling and heart warming as seeing pure joy on others’ faces.
