Teach a lesson, lead students in a hands-on experiment and generously mix in fun.
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), St. Louis Gateway Professionals Chapter, used this winning formula to educate area students about science, technology, engineering and math during its first-ever free Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program.
Steven Dyson II, 8, started out not liking science, but by the end of his first summer camp experience through the SEEK program, NSBE had a convert.
“We did fun projects, and it wasn’t just sitting around learning,” he said. “Science was more fun, because you got to build things, and we did cool experiments. Some of them we got to eat, some of them we just made or saw, like explosions.”
NSBE sponsored SEEK – a project based hands-on summer program for third- through sixth-graders – at three locations: Better Family Life, 5415 Page Blvd. in St. Louis, Blossom Wood Day School, 7200 Howdershell Road and Academy of E.P.P, 615 Dunn Road, both in Hazelwood.
In total, 110 St. Louis city and county students participated in the organization’s pilot program, which was funded by the Missouri Department of Economic Development and the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. With appropriate funding, NSBE will host more children and expand to 10 sites next summer.
“NSBE is an excellent partner focused on exposing a diverse population of young students to the STEM fields and making it cool to love science and math,” said Rodney Crim, president of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. “We know that this intentional effort of inclusion and technical experience and exposure will provide our region’s businesses with a well-prepared workforce in the future.”
The program, led by professional engineers and STEM-focused college students, covered engineering principles like velocity, acceleration, force, mass, angles and magnetism. It also emphasized electricity, mechanical construction and building.
Instead of logging hours watching television and playing video games, SEEK students made bridges that could hold up to 30 pounds out of popsicle sticks, roller coasters out of marbles and wired circuit boards and light-emitting diode flashlights, among other activities.
The project Steven remembers most was when they made ice cream. In fact, he plans to make it again at home. “It was a little weird, but it was still good,” Steven said, explaining it was saltier than store-bought ice cream.
Eric Witherspoon, 21, SEEK program counselor, remembers leading the “rowdy but fun” experiment on the different phases of matter.
“To show how liquids turn into solids, we made ice cream in plastic bags out of rock salt, ice, milk, sugar and vanilla flavor,” he said. “That was one of my favorite experiments, because the kids enjoyed eating the ice cream afterwards.”
He said he received as much as he gave in the role.
“It was just an amazing experience when kids would finally understand different concepts. They were excited, and they got me excited,” said Witherspoon, a Morehouse College senior who is majoring in biology. “I was trying to teach them something in simple terms and some of them kind of struggled, but when they got it and said, ‘It makes sense to me now.’ That was more rewarding than anything.”
SEEK Camp Director Ron Moore is pleased with the result of the trial run and described the three-week experience as “magical.”
“We want children to be fearless when it comes to learning, and programs like SEEK minimize fear of the unknown, emphasize STEM team building exercises and provide youth with an environment to expand their learning potential,” the retired engineer said.
He stresses the need for early exposure to STEM in order to positively impact outcomes.
“We must start science, technology, engineering and mathematics exposure in the first grade. All students should receive 72-hours a year of STEM hands-on experiments,” Moore said.
Terrence Freeman, engineering science coordinator and professor of mechanical engineering at St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley, served as SEEK program evaluator. He said that SEEK offers a service to the community by exposing minority students to career paths they might not otherwise consider.
“The perception and sometimes reality is that students shy away from science, technology engineering and mathematics in the belief that it is too hard,” Freeman said. “These students left believing that STEM is challenging and exciting. They enjoyed talking about it and felt that solving engineering problems is fun.”
Once back at school, Steven, the third-grader at Jury Elementary School in the Hazelwood School District, said he no longer considers science “hard.” Not that it’s easy. “It’s in the middle,” he said. Steven said that SEEK was the game-changer. “I want to go back,” he said.
Because of the success of the pilot program, NSBE Gateway Professionals chapter started NSBE JR. engineering chapters at Jennings, Normandy and Riverview school districts. The group is also starting an engineering club at Walbridge Elementary School in Walnut Park in the Saint Louis Public Schools. These schools will receive STEM kits, software, regular class room instructions from professional engineers, field trips to area colleges for classes and labs.
If you are interested in volunteering with or donating to the 2017 SEEK program, email Ronald Moore at pci@nsbe-stl.org or Gwen Crimm at future100collegians@yahoo.com. Visit nsbe-stl.org for more information about the local chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and nsbe.org to learn more about the organization’s national efforts, including SEEK.
