Freshmen Partake in STEM Day

Gallery • 6 Photos

Photo by: Emily Polanowski

The 3-D pens were a hit this year; students were able to express themselves with modern technology.

STEM day, an activity day for freshman to learn about careers in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, was held on Friday, Nov. 3.

Principal Kevin Molin sees how the annual STEM day can help students later in life, both in high school and in finding a career.

“I think the biggest thing is that it will give them the opportunity to try classes they might not. We have engineering classes, we have computer program classes, we have digital media classes that are using technology, and it might give them the opportunity to spark some interest for them to try a STEM elective, and maybe that elective leads them into a career, or to a major in college,” said Molin.

Throughout the day, students moved to different STEM stations throughout the school, experiencing a wide range of STEM topics, ranging from 3D printing to online coding to chemistry and physics experiments.

 STEM day could have helped STEM day volunteer Eric Paules during his formative years in high school.

“I think [STEM day] would have probably given me the same opportunity to tie real world with what I was learning in school,” said Paules.“At the time, computer technology was really big, and it would have been really neat to have somebody who was actually working in the computer field come in and give us some idea of what careers are out there, and what skills are needed.”

At the end of the day, students met back in the auditorium for a STEM awards ceremony held by Junior Achievement president Tom Russell and for one final experiment using liquid nitrogen and water for the entire class.

Freshman Diana Kelbaugh saw STEM day’s importance.

“[STEM day] is important because a lot of other people don’t think that it would be fun to do a STEM job, until they really know what they could actually do,” said Kelbaugh.“People just kind of assume it would be like taking a math class as your job, and it’s cool to show people that they can find interesting jobs that they actually like that they never thought they’d be able to do before.”