Local girls invited to Exploring STEM Day on April 12
Participants attending Exploring STEM Day on April 12 in Wooster can choose three workshops from a group of 20 offerings.
Middle school girls in Wayne, Holmes and Ashland counties are invited to sign up for Exploring STEM Day, which will be April 12 from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The College of Wooster.
The cost is $15 and includes all conference materials, a light lunch with a live presentation from the Ohio Bird Sanctuary and a workshop bag. The registration deadline is March 21 and is limited to the first 200 forms received. Fee waivers are available.
Participants will learn about a variety of STEM-related occupations in workshops taught by local female professionals. The goal of the volunteer-led event is to provide role models and motivate young women to consider pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“We hope our participants will not only be able to hear more about careers they already have a strong interest in, but also explore some areas they may not have thought about,” said Missy Schen, coordinator for Exploring STEM Day. “For example, our participants are usually very eager to attend sessions related to animal and human health care, but we hope they may also be open to learning more about how their interest in writing could turn into a career in podcast production or how they could apply their interests in chemistry and painting into art restoration.”
Participants will choose three workshops from a group of 20 offerings. There are several new sessions this year. They include one presented by chemistry professor Dr. Sarah Sobeck that will explore colors and why they look like they do. Erika Lyon, agriculture and natural resources educator, will teach a hands-on session on the basics of fungi farming and how mushrooms grow.
“As for sessions that may be more unexpected,” Schen said, “we have ones where participants can test out natural pigments, design a nutritious snack (a la Chopped), determine what is making plants sick, learn about how Eastern and Western medical therapies can work together for optimal health, and look at the science behind the benefits of turning upside down.”
The lunchtime presentation from the Ohio Bird Sanctuary will provide attendees an opportunity to see a glimpse into another type of STEM career. The sanctuary provides rehabilitation services for native birds, offers educational outreach programs and operates a nature preserve.
At the live bird of prey presentation, students will be introduced to two of the sanctuary’s educational outreach birds and learn about their habitats and conservation. The raptor avian ambassadors will wear leather anklets and straps, securely held by staff at all times for safety.
“The Ohio Bird Sanctuary provides a unique up-close look at some native birds in our area and can teach students about our surrounding habitats, conservation efforts that can help our native birds and a different scientific career path that many students may not normally think about when they hear STEM,” Exploring STEM Day registrar Courtney McCusker said.
A pizza lunch will be served. For individuals with certain dietary restrictions, it is suggested bringing your own lunch. Breakfast will not be provided, and there is a lot to explore before lunch, so it’s recommended participants eat before coming to the event.
For a full lineup of classes and information and to register online, visit exploringstemday.spaces.wooster.edu. Brochures with a mail-in registration form will be available in local schools.
“The College of Wooster has been most gracious in letting us use their facilities for all these decades, providing attendees with exposure to a college campus with state-of-the-art science labs,” Schen said. “We’ve held the annual event at the college every year, except for two years during the COVID pandemic. That’s over 30 years and thousands of girls who have benefited from this volunteer effort.”
For more information call or email Schen at 937-751-6336 or mschen@wooster.edu.
“Although some strides have been made, women and individuals from rural areas are still underrepresented in STEM fields,” Schen said. “Also, because of what they commonly see in the media, young people often think the only viable careers in STEM are in medicine or laboratories. We want to show our local students that there are a wide variety of STEM careers available where they can combine many of their interests.”
The conference will be held on The College of Wooster campus, beginning with check-in at McGaw Chapel.College students will then guide participants to their workshops.