FCE STEAM student • FCE Class of 2026
Like many students will tell you, David Webster joined FCE’s middle school program, STEAM, because his parents wanted him to. He is clear that it wasn’t his idea originally, but David is also quick to explain that he gives STEAM an 8 ½ on a 10 point scale.
STEAM staff and volunteers support students to achieve in school and help them work on the leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving expectations of the program. The program meets twice a week after school and just a couple weeks into the school year, the routine is set: 15 minutes of friend time, then break into small groups that rotate classrooms to either work on a group project or do homework independently. And there is always time set aside to goof around and eat healthy snacks. Just half way through the school year, David sees the value: “I do my homework here after school and I get help with math, but it’s not all about academics. We do projects in teams; we notice that everyone needs to do their part so everyone can feel like a part of the team.”
STEAM’s tight-knit community gives students the space to be vulnerable, assert themselves, ask for help, and take important risks – critical areas of growth that continue as students matriculate to the high school program, FCE College Bound. Especially for David, he loves that he now has friends from different schools. “My grandma says I am really good at meeting new people,” he grins.