The Schuyler Community Schools STEM Society was created in January of 2021 as a part of the EIR Empower Grant. The STEM Society is a group of students from 6-12 grade who want to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and math concepts and careers. Every month STEM Society members gather in a meeting and listen to a presenter from a STEM related field discuss robots, medicine, technology, chemistry, agriculture, or other interesting topics.
After the presentation, students participate in a hands-on activity related to the topic. The topic varies from month to month. Each semester the STEM Society goes on a field trip. They have gone to the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum, HUDL, and simulation labs at UNL College of Nursing. Furthermore students get paired with a mentor that works in a STEM related job and that has similar interests and hobbies as the students. Mentors introduce students to new and interesting interests and careers. Each month students meet with their mentors via Zoom for half an hour. The last thing that happens at STEM Society is that during the summer the STEM Society holds a summer camp at Wayne State College. Throughout the duration of the camp, students experience a sense of daily college life where they live in dorms, eat on campus, and participate in educational activities. During the month of December, students can apply to join the STEM Society. Anyone from 6-11 grade is able to apply. “My favorite part about STEM is that you meet new people and you learn about different careers you might never have heard about,” shared STEM Society member, Areli Arellano.
