Get Your Hands On History

continued from page 12 organization for the community programs I spearheaded for years as a volunteer before STEM Santa Fe existed.”

While the STEM summer program largely concentrates on academic subjects such as math, engineering and science, it also equips students with valuable skills like communication and teamwork. A leading objective is to challenge misconceptions that STEM programs are dry and solely focused on academics.

Projects include a “Roller Coasters, Engineering, and Fun with Physics” seminar, in which students apply the principles of physics, such as potential energy, kinetic energy, friction and gravity, to create roller coasters for marbles, and a "What Causes Wildfires?" seminar where students train as fire investigators and work to determine the cause of a blaze.

“By teaching communication skills, collaboration and problem-solving, our program prepares students for future success, regardless of whether they pursue STEM careers,” Germann said.

During weeklong summer sessions, STEM Santa Fe mentors and instructors use that focus on collaboration and teamwork to allow students to try different approaches to resolve an issue or answer a question. Students learn to convey their viewpoints effectively and use new vocabulary while collaboratively researching and designing their team’s project.

Creativity is woven into the program’s core curricula, and art is incorporated into STEM projects. Take the program’s 2022 Laser Harp project, where Native American students from Santa Fe Indian School discovered how to work independently and cohesively by replicating the popular Laser Harp at Meow Wolf. The project combined the arts of music and designing with engineering science. With three lasers and an Arduino electronics board, students created a tabletop musical instrument that plays a tone when a laser beam is interrupted.

Mentors who offer opportunities to explore STEM fields also encourage students to stay interested and engaged in their education. For example, in the STEM Scaffold Santa Fe @ Middle and High Schools Program, math and science majors from local colleges mentor students weekly and share their own college experiences.

STEM Santa Fe offers both in-school and extracurricular programs. Inschool programs include mentorship, in which mentors visit the school to work with students for several weeks, and math festivals, where teachers take select students to nearby colleges to increase their confidence and interest in math. For example, the 2022 Mathematics Festival, hosted by STEM Santa Fe and held at Santa Fe Community College, included 67 students from Carlos F. Vigil Middle School in Española.

Extracurricular programs include a monthly STEM Pathways for Girls conference dedicated to girls and nonbinary students in 5th to 8th grade. The one-day conference for 100 to 150 students is enhanced by monthly workshops led by professional women in STEM. Volunteer STEM professionals, with the help of teachers and college students, teach the Summer STEM Circles Program.

"When considering a seminar topic, the first piece is to find one that is exciting and interesting and hasn't been done before or that can potentially open up many new avenues for students,” Germann said. “I prefer implementing multi-disciplinary topics so that the emphasis is not solely on science."

Themes planned for this year include a deep dive into aviation and aerospace, with a highlight on professions such as aerospace engineers, pilots, aviation mechanics and air traffic controllers.

Registration information: stemsantafe.org