Ignite the Night Event Showcases Elementary Students’ Creativity and Innovation

 

Elementary students across Newport-Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD) took center stage at the district’s first Ignite the Night event on May 11 at Estancia High School, where nearly 2,000 attendees experienced an evening filled with creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning.

Inside the main gym, students eagerly guided robots they designed and built through fast-paced VEX IQ Robotics matches. Working in teams across three competition rounds, students collaborated to solve a challenge while adjusting strategies in real time, troubleshooting obstacles, and celebrating victories together. Students proudly explained how they prepared their Huey robots for competition and shared how the engineering-design process supported their thinking, testing, and problem-solving throughout the year.

“After we built our Huey, we modified it to make it work better. We added back wheels with more texture because it was sliding around too much,” Sonora Elementary fifth-grader West Cowell explained. 

“We had to really work with the chain to get it right, too. First, it was too loose, then it was too tight,” added Sonora teammate Rylie Fallas, who’s also in fifth grade.    

This year, robotics programs expanded to more elementary schools, increasing early access to engineering and technology learning opportunities for fourth- through sixth-grade students.

In the small theater, a different kind of innovation unfolded as students brought original ideas to life through Odyssey of the Mind performances. Teams from each participating elementary school created an eight-minute performance that combined storytelling and engineering. Students could choose between creating an original humorous tall tale or building technical solutions as part of a story about a malfunctioning travel device. No matter which adventure they chose, students were tasked with writing scripts, designing props, and collaborating to meet specific guidelines. What they had learned was reflected in the creativity on stage. 

“In our story, I’m painting a donut, and the dragon wants to eat it because he wants to eat all the donuts, and it’s basically about how ‘John’ fights the dragon and creates Yellowstone,” said Isabella Gava, a fourth-grade student at Eastbluff Elementary. “So, yeah, it’s about problem solving.”

This year marked the first time the Odyssey of the Mind program was offered at NMUSD schools.

“Our goal was to create learning experiences that encourage students to explore, design, create, and persevere through challenges,” said Dr. Lori Hernandez, Director of Elementary Teaching and Learning. “Whether students were programming robots or performing on stage, they were building real-world skills while discovering their own creativity and potential.” 

Community partners were also on hand to share information about after-school programs and summer enrichment opportunities focused on STEM, creativity, and leadership. Estancia’s Makerspace offered a glimpse into the advanced tools and experiences that await younger students as they continue their educational journey. 

The inaugural Ignite the Night event highlighted NMUSD’s commitment to providing students with meaningful, real-world learning opportunities at every age. Whether through robotics competitions or creative problem-solving on the stage, students demonstrated critical thinking and resilience, skills that will continue to shape their learning in the years to come.

Additional images from Ignite the Night are available to download at no cost on the district’s online photo gallery.