On October 29th, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SVHEC) hosted 400 sixth grade students from Halifax County Middle School for the "You Are the Engineer of Your Career" Workshop. Students were introduced to engineering careers through participation in eight engineering focused activities including 3D printing, reverse engineering, and extracting DNA from strawberries (click here to read descriptions of all workshop activities). Staff members from NASA-Langley were onsite and led several student activities."We wanted to give students a day to come and have a hands-on, interactive learning experience focused on science, technology, engineering, and math, and having NASA folks here interacting with students was an opportunity we couldn't pass up," said Amy Cole, SVHEC Director of Student Services & Partner Relations.

Warrick Scott, Founder and CEO of the Wendell Scott Foundation, served as the event's keynote speaker. He pointed out the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) that surrounds students' daily lives including Red Box DVD rentals, smartphones, and apps. "STEM education is a necessity," he stated. Scott also talked about his grandfather, the late NASCAR driver Wendell Scott.

Wendell Scott, a native of Danville, VA, was the first African-American driver to win a race in what is now the Sprint Cup Series. "My grandfather was an engineer without the training," Scott stated. He shared how his grandfather never had sponsors, but using ingenuity, innovation, and knowledge of STEM, was able to successfully compete against many well-funded drivers. "Dedication and education will take you anywhere you want to go," Scott said.

 

Vicky Matthews, SVHEC Career & Academic Resource Counselor, stated, "We had a wonderful time with the 6th grade students today. Both teachers and students, as well as our volunteer workers, seemed to enjoy themselves. The students are ready to come back, and we look forward to the next time."

The SVHEC extends thanks to Halifax County Middle School teachers and administration, NASA-Langley, the Prizery, and the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research for making the day possible.

About the Workshop Activities:

3D Printing: An introduction to 3D printing and how this technology is revolutionizing engineering and healthcare.
STEM Bus: Students stepped aboard IALR's STEM-H bus to complete a robotic solar powered device.
Rockets & Catapults: Students explored the same testing techniques aerospace engineers use on the job.
Strawberry DNA: Students extracted DNA from a strawberry.
NASA Home & City: Using an interactive computer program, students explored how engineering discoveries at NASA have affected their daily lives.
Marshmallow Challenge: Working in groups, students attempted to engineer the tallest structure possible made of spaghetti, tape, string, and a marshmallow.
Mars Rover: After exploring the difficulties surrounding landing the Mars Rover, students collaborated to create their own model that could successfully land when dropped on "Mars."
UV Light: Students explored how and why UV Light works.

from SVHED.org