(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT — March 31, 2026) — Walk into a classroom at Clendenin Elementary, and you won’t just hear the scratching of pencils. You’ll hear the hum of a robot, the click of LEGO bricks, and the excited chatter of students solving the world’s next big problems.
At Clendenin’s STEAM Academy, science and math aren't just subjects on a whiteboard, but they’re also tools for building, coding, and imagining the impossible.
From programming robots to designing video games, students are gaining high-tech experience that prepares them for a rapidly changing world.
“Students are working with LEGO Spike and LEGO Brick, and they’re coding on their own,” said Daniel Correa, program coach at Clendenin. “The best part of STEAM is how it brings everything together. We’re covering the curriculum in a way that’s actually meaningful to them. These students aren’t just playing video games, but they’re designing and building them from the ground up.”
In every corner of the campus, "Maker Spaces" are filled with electric circuits, magnets, and engineering tools, allowing students to move from theory to creation in seconds.
The impact is clear in students like fifth-grader Jason Alvarado, who is already eyeing the horizon.
“I like to build cars and robotics,” Jason said. “Clendenin helps us stay involved in science, and it even makes preparing for the STAAR test feel like we're ready for anything.”
For fourth-grader Andi Pacheco, the academy is as much about friendship as it is about physics.
“I love how we can work together and collaborate to build stuff,” Andi said. “It’s like you’re a little engineer and you can build whatever you want. I joined the STEAM club because I was curious, and I’m so glad I did because I’ve made so many friends. This is where it all begins.”
The excitement is contagious, and the data proves it. Since becoming a STEAM academy, Clendenin educators have noted a surge in student engagement and a noticeable boost in attendance.
“Students are excited to come to school because they feel welcomed and challenged,” Correa added. “Our goal is to give them the foundation to go into any career—maybe even NASA.”
First opened in 1966 and named for community leader and former trustee Maybelle Clendenin, the campus continues to evolve. Serving about 500 students in Central El Paso, Clendenin offers both English and Dual Language programs designed to unlock every child’s potential.
As El Paso ISD opens registration for the 2026–27 school year, Clendenin Elementary stands as a shining example of creativity and innovation in action.
Give your child the chance to be a little engineer. Register starting April 1 at episd.org/register.
