On Friday, August 2nd the Teacher Education Department (TED) at the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) concluded its five-week STEAM Guitar Building Program. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, and the program gave 18 high school students from across Tutuila an opportunity to apply principles from the STEAM disciplines to the construction of a fully-functioning electric guitar.

         Funding for the program, now in its third year at ASCC, comes from the Advance Technology Education (ATE) National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant, a nationwide initiative to promote STEAM instruction in American education. The ASCC-TED facilitates the program under the supervision of its Director Ms. Shirley De La Rosa, who also serves as Principal Investigator for the local ATE-NSF grant. Student participants were selected on the basis of a survey sent out earlier in the year to all the island’s high schools, with the 18 in the program coming from Nuuuli Voc-Tech, Leone, Samoana, Tafuna, and Marist-Faasao.

         “The survey asked students about their study or field interests,” explained De La Rosa. “We particularly looked for students with an interest in technology, trades, and science. We also asked if the students plan to go to college after high school, go right into the workforce, join the military or otherwise. The survey basically told us which students could benefit the most from the program, and these we encouraged to apply.”

                The program got underway at the beginning of July, with the students receiving instruction with an emphasis on developing their skills in Science, English, Math and Woodworking. Participants followed a rotating schedule in the various content areas, with their instructors utilizing hands-on STEAM Initiative activities to emphasize how the individual disciplines inter-connect. The students also learned how to keep e-portfolios to document their learning experiences.

         With De La Rosa overseeing the day-to-day activities, faculty in the program included Kenneth Jagon, Woodworking Instructor and Lead Teacher.  Other personnel included Ailen Borres, Science Instructor and Seanette Thompson, Math Instructor, who along with Jagon are also on the faculty of Nuuuli Voc-Tech High School and have been with the Steam Guitar Building Program since its inception. KJ Ameperosa of the ASCC TED served as English Language Arts Instructor, and joining in as Teaching Assistants were four former students of the program,  Falesoa Tufi, Faagutu Salanoa, Johnson Ailima and Angela Laquio.

         The program concluded on August 2nd with a ceremony attended by ASCC President Dr. Rosevonne Pato; Vice President of Academic, Community and Students Affairs Dr. Letupu Moananu; Vice President of Administration and Finance Mr. Sonny Leomiti; Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Siamaua Ropeti; and ASCC Grant Writer and Evaluator Mrs. Teresita Almendras. The students and their instructors served as hosts, and gave detailed presentations on the academic components of the program. The ceremony culminated with a display of the 18 electric guitars created by the students, and the presentation to each guest administrator of a commemorative plaque handcrafted by Woodworking Instructor Jagon.

             In addition to receiving a certificate of completion, each student also got to take home the electric guitar they had built during the program. Given the success of the three Guitar Building Programs held so far, De La Rosa expressed her wish that it will be offered again. “We are in the process of writing a proposal to ATE NSF for a similar grant,” she said. “However, that is still in the works, and we are hopeful we will get it so that we can continue.”

For more information on learning opportunities at ASCC, visit the College’s website at: www.amsamoa.edu.