Larsen students got creative with LEGO blocks as part of STEM education contest

ST. CROIX — Students at Pearl B. Larsen K-8 school didn’t need books to learn on Monday.

Instead they spent much of the day playing with LEGOS in observance of International LEGO Day, recognized worldwide annually on Jan. 28. Now in its third year of celebration, students took part in a much-anticipated STEM International LEGO Fair. The competition challenged students to apply science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts through firsthand LEGO projects, highlighting creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking.

To honor the day recognized worldwide for the much-loved LEGO brick toy — first patented in 1958 by Danish carpenter Godtfred Kirk Christiansen — Principal Joanna Brow wrote to faculty and staff about creating the LEGO structures with the emphasis of integrating STEM concepts into students’ projects. This turned into a fun challenge for the students.