A skyscraper of tongue depressors and clothes pins, robots that can “see” colors and a Lego challenge were among the hands-on stations at Rochester Memorial School's STEAM night on March 30.

The family night had parents and kids putting their creativity to use in a celebration of science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

“I'm just so happy. It's such a great turnout,” said organizer and RMS Library Media Specialist Sandi Sollauer.

Each station had a different challenge. At one table, students and parents were tasked with engineering the tallest structure possible using small plastic cups.

“It's a lot harder than it looks,” said teacher Jamie Alves, who measured each tower. “That's the neat thing about it – that everyone has as different strategy.”

At another table, seventh grader Hannah Furtado and her father created structures that could hold a bucket full of stones.

Furtado, a former RMS student, said hers was stronger.

“I wanted to do it bigger than his,” she said.

Students also got to code using computer programs they've experimented with in class, and used markers to create paths for Ozobots followed. The small robots have sensors that can read colors, which allow them to trace the path left by markers.

In another part of the library former students Tyler Caton and Joey LaPointe built the showstopper of the night: a tower 41.5 inches tall made of tongue depressors and clothes pins. After the boys' careful construction, they decided to tear it down with a few well-placed tennis balls.