Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School is taking STEM education to new heights with the launch of the Drone Legends program, an innovative, hands-on learning experience that uses drones to teach real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and math. The program kicked off in February and currently serves 50 eighth-grade students who meet biweekly in the school library.
Students take on team roles such as drone pilot, observer, and safety supervisor while working through missions that mirror real-world challenges. These include programming drones to deliver hurricane relief supplies, scanning ocean waters for sharks to protect swimmers, and even exploring Martian terrain for signs of life. Each session begins with a video introducing a scenario, followed by drone-based tasks that require coding, critical thinking, and collaboration.
Media specialist Heather McCarthy, who leads the program, said it allows students to “reimagine STEM education” by applying classroom concepts in an engaging, meaningful way. Students are developing valuable skills in problem-solving, engineering, and communication—while having a blast flying drones.
Participants have responded enthusiastically. Eighth grader Nathan Galvan shared, “Being able to learn more and more every other week about these drones is so much fun, and I would never want to stop.” Fellow student Rayan Hamdi added that he especially enjoys the coding aspect: “You can create code, launch the drone, and watch it complete the mission.”
Due to the program’s popularity, the school plans to expand Drone Legends to include sixth and seventh graders next school year. The initiative is generously funded by Dr. Theodore Gasteyer and the Oak Lawn Education Foundation, who have been long-time supporters of advancing STEM opportunities for students.
With programs like Drone Legends, Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School is preparing students for the future by turning curiosity into innovation—and helping them take their learning to new heights.
Check out this news article from The Reporter about the Drone Program at OLHMS!
