High school students are using their creativity as part of a project to help other kids learn about science with hands on activities while they are stuck at home.

Members of Pearl River County’s Team CHAOS are researching and creating their own easy to do at home science, engineering, technology and math projects, said Picayune School District teacher Karen Balch.

The robotics team members are sending Balch guidelines of activities that use materials people likely already have around their homes. Balch will then print out the STEM activities so they can be distributed with free grab and go lunches already being distributed in the district. No materials will be distributed, only printouts with activity guidelines and ideas for projects.

Students on the team are stuck at home and want to help others during the pandemic, said Balch. The project is a way for the high school students to use their research skills and enthusiasm for STEM to help younger students continue learning.

“One thing about my group of students is that they’re constantly thinking and doing. They’re so creative. They come up with the ideas or sometimes the parents do,” said Balch. “You get a group of creative people together and you can come up with all kinds of fun things to do.”

The project is in its beginning stages, so Balch is still gathering activity ideas from students. The ideas will be vetted and approved by school administrators before they are distributed, said Balch. Roseland Park Elementary will be the first school to implement the project. If it is successful at that school, the team will look to expand it to other schools.