Here we share promising practices from a case study at Jackson-Reed High School, where we implement a framework focused on empowering young non-men to pursue engineering through student-led community engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
We believe this framework is a promising strategy and can be easily implemented in a variety of classroom settings.

SPEAKERS:
Ella Davis (Student Intern), Kimberly Jacoby Morris (STEM Program Coordinator)

Students will present this poster that describes how they design, 3D print and solder lights for their global peers who are living in light poverty. The Design Thinking Process begins with empathize, so students interact with peers living in light poverty to understand their realities. This connection changes the learning from something that the teacher is doing to them to something they are doing for their new friend. The remainder of the Design Thinking Process encourages communication, critical thinking and creativity along with STEM skills to produce a new custom-made light. At the end, not only do more students have clean lights to continue their studies, but the presenting students believe that they can make a difference in the world and are empowered to act when they see problems rather than wait for someone else. Large percentages of females who participate in CurrentGeneration.org alter their trajectories and attend engineering programs at post-secondary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Solving real problems for real people brings motivation and excellence to learning across many disciplines. Students are able to uncover new skills and passions while developing their STEM skills and sense of global citizenship. They are empowered to act to solve problems rather than wait.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Ryan (PhD student/Research Associate: , NB), Ian Fogarty (Riverview High School: Riverview, NB)

An AD can decrease the amount of waste in landfills, and produce clean energy, the byproduct of digestate (liquid and solid) can be used as fertilizer, it prevents pollution of the atmosphere, and the processing time takes (20 to 30 days) less than composting.

TAKEAWAYS:
This research aimed to identify and create a way to repurpose and utilize organic waste material that usually ends up in landfills. By creating a closed system within the laboratory, we measured the gas production of carbon dioxide and methane gas, and which waste produces the most biogas.

SPEAKERS:
Candace Edmerson (Duncanville High School: Duncanville, TX)

For 90% of Earth history, there was no fire. Fire made humanity and civilization. Now fire so endangers us that we must repower without flame. Energy system transitions make history. What can we learn from past transitions? What does the future hold? Can we reframe how we talk about climate change?

TAKEAWAYS:
In climate change education efforts, we should talk more about fire as it’s both the root cause of modern climate change and was effectively nonexistent for the first 90% of Earth history. This reframing helps people see the issue in a new light, and has the potential to engage broader audiences.

This session will provide educators with ideas for hosting STEM day/night for K-8 students (especially in Title I schools). Attendees will participate in hands-on STEM challenges that explore phenomena, require minimal preparation, and can be completed in 45 minutes or less. Educators will walk away with packets that include posters, supply lists, rubrics, and worksheets. This session will help attendees to facilitate and model simple Engineering Design Challenges that will engage ALL scholars.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to coordinate a STEM day/night including scheduling ideas, resources. Attendees will receive packets for their respective grade levels/grade bands that include posters, supply lists, rubrics, and worksheets.

SPEAKERS:
Karelle Williams (The Main Street Academy: Atlanta, GA)

Paper is so commonly used for drawing and writing but it is amazingly versatile and easy to use for making 3-dimensional projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
You do not need fancy equipment to do STEM and hands on activities.

SPEAKERS:
Godwyn Morris (Dazzling Discoveries / Skill Mill NYC: New York, NY)

Students will present their work to make an interactive LED sculpture that displays different emotions when it senses the presence of humans. They soldered customized circuit boards and LEDs, made a 2D plot of different emotions of brightness and blink rate to inform their light patterns, coded proximity sensors, used refraction and reflection of light and borrowed ideas from biology and psychology to bring students together after pandemic isolation. The six columns of laser cut acrylic hang from the ceiling outside the theatre and form the constellation LEO which matches our lion mascot. While they practiced diverse STEM skills, the odyssey into the ambiguity made room for creativity which was uncomfortable for the students at first because no longer was there only one right answer to find. The resulting critical thinking and creativity are vital to solve the challenges and leverage the opportunities of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

TAKEAWAYS:
Creating a public display that requires STEM skills allows students to diversify their learning and increases the motivation for quality. Doing tech art helps develop comfort with exploring ambiguity along with the critical thinking associated with no one right answer.

SPEAKERS:
Ian Fogarty (Riverview High School: Riverview, NB)

In this project, teachers collaborated with Engineering professors in research on climate models and pavement distress. The teachers then translate that experience to inform PBL style class projects, with the goal of increasing student engagement and generating interest in career pathways.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn one way teachers may reach beyond traditional classroom walls to inspire students in fields relating to research, engineering, physics, and construction.

SPEAKERS:
Forest Shober (Physics Teacher)