Full STEAM Ahead: LPS students explore STEAM concepts at science center

July 8, 2025

Lincoln Public Schools students hopped on locomotive-sized learning rides this spring and summer when they visited one of the largest science centers in the Midwest.

Hundreds of LPS middle school students traveled to the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha for several hours of educational experiences. They explored the physics of sound waves, studied how the contours of land can affect rivers and created their own arch out of cushion-sized blocks. The building’s 120-plus activities gave them a wide array of knowledge in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) topics.

Culler Middle School students Moaab and Osman said they were having fun working with the different exhibits during their trip this summer. Moaab said he enjoyed learning why two magnets become stuck together when they are placed next to each other. Osman said he liked an exhibit that showed how sound waves can travel long distances.

“The part where you’re sitting in a chair far away from the other person and you’re able to talk to them,” Osman said. “That was neat.”

Brittney Hodges-Bolkovac and Alexis Deetz watched with excitement as sixth, seventh and eighth graders crossed each activity off their list. Hodges-Bolkovac is LPS executive director of multicultural education and partnerships and Deetz is a paraeducator at Culler. They said it had been a full-steam-ahead type of learning day for everyone involved.

“It’s been fun, because some of these kids said they’ve never been outside of Lincoln,” Hodges-Bolkovac said. “There’s a place here where you’re sitting and looking at the Missouri River and you’re looking in Iowa, and for the kids who have never been out of Lincoln, that’s pretty cool.”

“They’ve really liked the hands-on stuff,” Deetz said. “It’s things that they don’t have in their everyday lives. They’ve been able to ask different questions, see different things that they may not have seen before, different lights, different sounds, different everything. It’s just been really cool to open up their minds to all of these new things.”

Hodges-Bolkovac began laying tracks for trips to the luminarium earlier this year. Chris Stratman, the luminarium’s senior director of education and visitor services, told her that the organization had received a grant from the Acklie Charitable Foundation that would cover the cost of admission and transportation for Lancaster County students. Hodges-Bolkovac offered the pilot-program opportunity to a number of middle schools, and many classes traveled up Interstate 80 to the Omaha riverfront during the spring.

Excess funding extended the Kiewit Luminarium connections for middle schoolers at Culler, Dawes, Goodrich and Park this summer. Their trips pushed the number of LPS students who gained STEAM information past the 700 mark.

Moaab said news of the planned visit to Omaha spread quickly throughout Culler’s hallways when summer school students first learned about it.

“It was really exciting,” Moaab said. “I was happy.”

Dan Sitzman, the luminarium’s program coordinator, said he was also pleased when he heard about the Acklie Charitable Foundation grant. He said the funds made it possible to provide new academic adventures for LPS children.

“This was something that we could support LPS students with and give them an opportunity to do some things that they might not have been able to do before,” Sitzman said.

Hodges-Bolkovac and Sitzman said the science center illuminated imaginations for students in many ways. Some exhibits – such as a discovery station that provided microscopic-level views of money from around the world – could be enjoyed on a solo basis, while others required teamwork and cooperation from an entire group.

“It’s something where they can make that connection with whatever exhibit speaks to them,” Sitzman said. “There’s no worry about being right or wrong. They can try it out and see what happens.”

“It’s always fun seeing the students have their ‘ah-ha’ moments,” Hodges-Bolkovac said. “I’m thankful we were able to partner with Dan and Chris to bring this to our LPS students.”

The luminarium’s activities dovetailed with the scope and sequence of LPS curriculum in STEAM subjects. For example, middle school students learn about science topics such as thermal energy, plate tectonics, light waves and natural resources throughout the school year. Middle school math classes investigate areas such as geometry, statistics and linear equations, and computer science courses help students study technology themes like website applications and digital media.

Hodges-Bolkovac said it was a good feeling to watch students add more tracks of knowledge to their STEAM-based rail networks at the luminarium. She felt the trip would benefit them in many ways both now and in the future.

“To be able to have this hands-on learning experience reach all of those who attended in their own way and put STEAM into a new perspective is what it’s all about,” Hodges-Bolkovac said.

LPS features a wide range of STEAM courses for students to enjoy at their schools. Visit home.lps.org/cte/cs, home.lps.org/math and home.lps.org/science to learn more about many of these STEAM opportunities.

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