Recipe for Rural STEM Day Motivates 5th Graders to Learn Underwater Robotics

The Regional Louisiana Stem Centers hosted their first Recipe for Rural STEM Day to promote STEM learning in 5th graders.

ABC 31 News Reporter Keisha Swafford has the story on what students learned through hands-on activities.

 

For Recipe for Rural STEM Day, Bolton High students taught fifth graders how to control an underwater robot.

Chloe Winnfield says, “I’m most excited about them being able to see this because I want them to be excited about STEM and engineering like I was when I was their age.”

 

Bolton High STEM students built a robot in two weeks.

Jermaine Sykes says, “At first, I thought it wouldn’t be possible until we actually started building it and Mrs. Lester explained it to us and I got interested in it because of the STEM kit she had brought to the school at first and I loved it the first day I decided to build on one.”

 

Their robotics project is their way of inspiring others to get involved in STEM learning.

5th Grader Addilynn Gaskin says, “I learned from this experience that the pool noodles hold up the electrons and it makes them float around.”

 

Underwater robotics teaches kids how to problem solve and think critically while building a robot.

5th Grader Oliver Garvey says, “I find that robotics is interesting in the way they are coded.”

 

STEM learning is more than just robotics.

Region 6 STEM Director Jennifer DePriest says, “STEM is agriculture, STEM is wielding, STEM is cosmetology, STEM is a way that we can change people’s lives, STEM is a way people can have a future in fields that maybe they have never thought of before.”

 

Recipe for Rural STEM Day used the theme of gumbo to teach students to try new things.

The Region 6 STEM Director says, “G.U.M.B.O. stands for Geographically United for Making Better Opportunities. Recipe for Rural STEM is my state initiative because the way we handle and introduce people to STEM in the rural communities is different than we do in different parts or different cities throughout the state.”

 

Their goal is for students to expand their view of STEM learning.

Chloe Winnfield says, “I really love the idea of me creating something for people to use, which is why I want to be an architect because the idea of living in your art is really exciting for me.”

 

Recipe for Rural STEM Day can open their minds to new stem experiences and careers.

The Recipe for Rural Stem Day had over 1500 students participate in its first event.