At the Cultural Trust’s second annual, three-day STEAM Symposium, students came away with new skills, self-made creations, and a fresh perspective on timely topics—from the complexities of our digital landscape to the importance of upcycling in a world of fast fashion.

This year, 1,002 students and teachers from 23 schools registered to explore, build, and discover—more than double last year’s participation.

 

Parag S. Goehl leads students through the Foley technique.

Liz Foster-Shaner, Director of Arts Education, notes that the team broadened their reach this year: “We opened it up to all schools who were interested. This led to a greater diversity of school types—public, private, parochial, homeschool.”

Participants spent a full day in the Cultural District and were able to participate in three one-hour interactive workshops. This year there were rotating eight workshop options across five Cultural Trust venues.

 

Students use photo editing software on iPads with instructor, Randall Coleman.

From building civic infrastructure and editing historical photos to making their own soundscapes and screen prints, every facilitator encouraged students to turn concepts into creations. As Foster-Shaner puts it:

“The main idea is that the Symposium is shifting the emphasis from passive consuming of content created by other people to empowering students to be creators themselves.”

She points to the “Going Viral” workshop, facilitated by Lola Sims, where students not only learned what it means to have a digital presence, but also gained practical tips they can apply online.

 

Students select supplies for their building challenge.

In each workshop, artists shared their professional expertise, inviting students to explore their own interests and imagine career possibilities.

“They are holding the doors open for the next generation of artmakers and industry professionals,” Foster-Shaner says.

At the STEAM Symposium, those doors are open wide.

2025 Workshops: Sustainable Fashion Upcycling - Imani Batts; Colorizing History - Randall Coleman; Film Pittsburgh Teen Screen; Foley Moley Sound Design - Parag S. Gohel; Design, Build, Inspire! Civil Engineering as Art - Kirsten Raglin; Going Viral and Understanding Your Digital Footprint - Lola Sims; Immersive Audio - Danielle “INEZ” Walker; 1st Layer Screen Printing - Quaishawn Whitlock