Holy Redeemer School, located at 915 Vine Street in Center City Philadelphia, has launched a state-of-the-art STEM Lab designed to provide students with advanced technology and innovative teaching tools. This initiative aims to empower young individuals from various neighborhoods across Philadelphia towards their future careers and vocations.
Principal Susan Pui Shan Chan, who began her tenure last summer, highlighted the significance of the lab for students coming from diverse backgrounds, including areas like Northeast and North Philly. Chan noted, “A lot of our students are not just from the Chinatown area; they’re from Northeast and North Philly. If they had gone to their local schools, they wouldn’t have these opportunities. This is a game changer for them.”
The STEM Lab is equipped with an array of resources, enabling over two dozen students to engage in STEM and technology arts activities simultaneously. The facility features laser engravers, 3D printers, and a robotics station, providing students with hands-on experience in utilizing advanced technology in creative ways.
Chan recounted an exciting achievement wherein students used a 3D printer to create a metal part for the International Space Station, emphasizing the practical applications of the technology they now have access to. “This technology that was developed for the military, for NASA, all these big corporations has been offered to us. We benefit from utilizing these technologies,” she stated.
In partnership with the Foundation for Catholic Education, the school has also received free Marty robots and collaborative robots (cobots) to enhance the coding curriculum. This allows students to engage in activities and competitions, such as the annual archdiocese-wide STREAM Expo held earlier this year at Cardinal O’Hara High School.
The integration of arts programs will further enrich the students’ experience in the STEM Lab, enabling them to create props and costumes for school theater productions. Chan expressed that the lab is designed with accessibility in mind, ensuring that even the youngest students can benefit from the technology under proper adult supervision.
She stated, “It’s not just teaching the higher grades, but a curriculum for K-through-eight. We’ll start this in December for the kindergartners, and as they move up to grades, they know how to do block coding.”
This focus on nurturing creativity and curiosity extends to students of all ages. “Who is to say that we need to limit their ability to do anything? Even though it may be a cliché in some ways, they can do anything they put their mind to. As long as there’s an adult or somebody that’s supportive of them, the sky is the limit,” Chan emphasized.
The STEM Lab not only focuses on academic content but also aims to enhance students’ interpersonal and soft skills. Chan believes that education transcends basic subjects like math and English, advocating a holistic approach that emphasizes real-life applications and effective communication. “Education is not just about learning about math or English. Those things are important, but I look at education more as being able to have conversations with people in everyday life,” she remarked.
Chan had initially feared that the STEM Lab would not open until 2026, but thanks to the fundraising efforts led by Capuchin Franciscan Father Thomas Betz, the pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Center City, the project was completed ahead of schedule. Chan expressed immense gratitude to Father Tom and all the donors who supported this vision, stating, “The credit goes to Father Tom, all the donors, everybody that believes in this vision.”
“I thought I was going to have to do really tough fundraising this year, but Father Tom made it happen. The fact that he was able to pull this off, and the fact that the contractor was able to do this in six short weeks, I’m really grateful,” she added.
Looking ahead, Chan aims to extend the program’s reach beyond the students at Holy Redeemer, making it accessible to the entire Chinatown community and particularly to people of color in Philadelphia. She envisions a community-centered program that would allow access to the lab on Saturdays, although it will initially be open only for Holy Redeemer students.
“Education should be open to everyone. It should always be equitable. It should never be the haves and the have nots. I see this as an opportunity not just for my students, and that’s why I want this to open up to the rest of the community,” Chan stated.
Furthermore, Chan envisions the STEM center as a place where students can incorporate ‘e’ for experience, ‘a’ for arts, and ‘r’ for religion into their learning, thus developing a deeper understanding of their individual journeys and God’s will in their lives.
“God in some ways is guiding them to ask if engineering is or isn’t exactly their thing, or if art is, or if designing is,” she explained. “We don’t realize that right at that moment, and we might not realize it in like 10, 15 years from now, but that experience at Holy Redeemer really might pivot what they’re called to do. That’s what I want the students to have here.”
image source from：catholicphilly
