STEM Event Draws 300
Seventh- through 12th-grade students participated in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Youth Conference on Saturday, May 9 at Fullerton College. The conference drew about 300 students and parents who participated in workshops, interactive demonstrations, and heard from a wide variety of presenters.
More than 15 schools from area school districts and the Orange County Migrant Education Program participated in this year’s conference. The event kicked off with a welcome session in the college’s student center followed by a keynote message from NASA’s Patricia Sullivan, who is a community education program coordinator.
“We want to broaden horizons and pique the interest of kids when they are young so they understand the world of possibility pursuing an education and career in the STEM fields,” said Rolando Sanabria, of Fullerton College’s High School Outreach Office.
The conference included workshops such as Strawberry DNA Extraction, Electromagnetism and Everyday Life, and a presentation on the Basics of Being an Engineer, among many others. Through a collaborative effort, presentations were provided by students from Cal State Fullerton, professionals working in STEM fields, and numerous students from Fullerton College, who are majoring in STEM disciplines. Participants attended three workshops and were provided with a complementary lunch. The closing session also included recognitions and an opportunity drawing for all participants.
The annual conference began as a smaller conference for a group of male students six years ago. The event has now grown to welcome both male and female students, helping to address some of the demands to increase the representation and advancement of women in STEM fields. Many of the students who participated in Saturday’s conference will return to Fullerton College in June and July when the campus will host two separate STEM summer camps for middle school and high school students. The STEM Youth Conference is supported by the Office of Special Programs, High School Outreach Office, the Career and Technical Education Department and the ENGAGE in STEM program.
