A Fun Way To Learn For Covington Students

STEM learning is becoming more popular in the education field. STEM is defined as the types of skills that students learn and acquire by studying science, technology, engineering, and math.  St. Tammany Parish Schools have gotten in on the action. New Orleans native and Presidential Award winner in Science, Mathematics and Engineering, Dr. Calvin Mackie is the leader and coordinator of a new STEM organization called STEM Northshore.

STEM Northshor

e is an organization that puts the fun in science, technology, engineering and math.

‘We have created a unique method of community engagement to reach people where they are and then drive them to things they might be interested in,” Dr. Mackie said.

STEM Northshore and United Way put on a fun event for Covington students. Students enjoyed hands on experiences such as knocking down blocks, blowing up rockets, making slime and battling with robots. The Mandeville Sr. High robotics team, S.S. Prometheus and the Mandeville Jr. High robotics team, Dark Matter were there with their robots. NASA was on hand with tons of videos of the mission to Mars, while LOOP gave the students a chance to use an interactive device that included floods, levees and Katrina where students could try and save  New Orleans.

“We are so excited to partner with Dr. Mackie and STEM Northshore to expose children in our parish to the world of opportunities in the STEM fields. You can see the hundreds of kids and parents who are here. Dr. Mackie gave them complete permission to touch any and everything, so it is simply amazing. We are so thankful to our sponsors Shell, Keystone Engineering, Rain CII Carbon, Sharon Green State Farm, and LOOP Offshore,” United Way CEO Michael Williamson said.

“The best paying jobs now and in the future are in the STEM fields,” Williamson said.

“If we don’t give our kids the exposure, education and skills to make something of themselves, then we only leave them with the options we see on the news everyday and that’s why these kinds of events are important,” Dr. Mackie said.

 

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