WOW... Junior Achievement STEM Summit!

Feb 7, 2019
4 min read

First time ever... and Oliver Middle delivered!

Yes, the Junior Achievement STEM Summit - an event usually held in high schools - was organized, planned and completed in our school.

7th Graders were chosen to be a part of a full day of activities to be challenged, to learn and test their curiosity with a variety of concepts applicable to the world of STEM.

These days... we educators strive to keep our teens in the making focused, entertained, learning and thinking about their future. As we all know... this at times can be easier said than done...

And today... we were all beyond appreciative of every student's effort to highlight they can rise up to the experience. Yes, they can put aside the silliness and be engaged, wanting to be a part of an activity that could shape their future.

Side note... this event ought to be organized for every middle school grade -- Imagine exposing 5th and 6th Graders to this experience now... the repercussions in high school will be magnified... and the future decisions made by these students will be even more defined and focused regarding future careers - trade school, university and/or becoming an entrepreneur.

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A mighty team of professionals and volunteers made it all happen.

Sheila Yoder | STEM Summit Coordinator

Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee

Ben Vos, Program Manager

Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee

Jennifer Berry, Director of STEAM/Science - MNPS

Kate Finn, District Lead STEAM Coach - MNPS

Sarrat Houston, MNPS - District Lead Coach - STEAM

Ms. Sehring - Assistant Principal, Oliver Middle - MNPS

Brian Harrell, Dean of Students, Oliver Middle -MNPS

Nurse Candace Guilligan

Dr. Brandon Carney

Ceteka Gooch, MNPS Learning Technology Specialist

All the Oliver Middle 7th Grade teachers and volunteers from Nissan, Metro Nashville, Fire Department, Vanderbilt University SCP and everyone else who made this wonderful day happen -- We are beyond thankful!

VIDEOS:

SUMMARY

The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Summit is a day long program held at area high schools for students in either 9th or 10th grade. The goal of this program is to inspire students to pursue an academic STEM focus in the remainder of their high school courses and to help prepare them for STEM careers in the future. This program requires over 30 business volunteers per STEM Summit day.

This is a one day commitment and no prior prep time is required, but you will be given guidance on how to facilitate your activity. Volunteers are needed in the following areas:

Math Challenge – 5 volunteers The students are divided into 5 groups and will cycle through 5 math challenges comprised of fun math and geometry problems, games and puzzles. One volunteer per table will score each team. One of these volunteers will act the “LEAD” and introduce the Challenge and serve as timer. We provide all answer keys.

Relay – 6 volunteers The students are divided into 5 teams and will compete against each other in a series of fun events. They will build a paper crinkle machine out of LEGO Bricks, use a static wand, shoot an air canon, make and fly a paper airplane, dress and undress in an anti-contamination suit and walk barefoot across 6 dozen eggs. Volunteers will time each team and act as a cheerleader. One volunteer will act as “LEAD” and introduce the relay and serve as timer.

Chemistry Experiment – 5 volunteers The students will perform hands on science experiments. They will mix two liquids in a paper cup, pour into a vinyl glove and watch the substance grow and harden into a hand. They will work with magic sand and polymer worms and will observe an elephant toothpaste chemical reaction. Volunteers will monitor each table.

Physics Experiment – 2 volunteers The volunteers will lead the students through a series of fun experiments including a “screaming balloon” where the student learns about inertia and sound. Next they learn about polymers while poking a wooden skewer through a balloon without breaking it. Then they learn about Bernoulli’s Principle by using a wind bag and lastly they learn about physics in a toroidal vortex by using a large air canon to send smoke rings across the room and knocking cups off each other’s heads.

Career Panels – 6 volunteers (Two Career Panels – 3 speakers each) Each Career Panelist will speak for 8 minutes about their education, career journey and current job in the STEM field. We ask that you share a starting salary in your field. We also ask that you bring a prop that identifies with your current position. We want this to be personal, fun and engaging for the students.

Marshmallow Challenge – 2 volunteers The students are divided into groups of five and will compete against each other to see who can build the tallest tower using 25 pieces of spaghetti, 1 yard of masking tape, with a marshmallow at the top. Volunteers will introduce the challenge, monitor the activity and measure the towers.

80/20 - 1 or 2 volunteers The students are divided into five groups and will compete against each other to see who can complete the task of building of a small item using 80/20 extruded aluminum profiles. Volunteers will introduce the

80/20 product, explain the directions and monitor the activity.

Electrical Competition- staffed by members of the IBEW The students are divided into five groups and will work together to wire a circuit comprised of a bell, lightbulb, buzzer and switch