Catapulting Multiple Generations into STEM
The NE STEM 4U program entered a new hemisphere of engagement this summer 2021, thanks to a contract from Beyond School Bells, coined “The Solving the Staffing Shortage Project”. The project aimed to help support elementary and middle schools within Omaha with staff to facilitate summer programming in STEM. It was a way to help bridge the gap in learning that resulted from the pandemic, while simultaneously providing sites with support staff.
As a part of this project, a partnership with Parent University formed. Parent University is a learning community located in North Omaha that partners with parents to ensure family empowerment and stability. Through the leadership of Tameshia Harris, a virtual STEM workshop night was planned in July 2021 for families interacting with Parent University. Undergraduate students from the NE STEM 4U program worked to develop and pack ‘STEM Kits’ (see photo) that included all necessary supplies for a family to engage in developing, testing, and competing with catapults.
Twelve families tuned in from the comfort of their own home, with 30 youth in total engaged in learning about engineering concepts and building catapults. It was a unique opportunity to incorporate STEM programming through a multi-generational perspective, where the entire family unit worked together. The event lasted an hour and saw families actively participate in the STEM activity… brainstorming, creating, testing, and competing with one another. The successful launch has catapulted the partnership in a positive direction with more events planned soon.