September 23, 2024, Lancaster ISD/Lancaster, TX --The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas hosted its annual STEM Fest event on September 17 at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. A total of 500 Lancaster ISD fifth-grade students participated in a day filled with hands-on activity, demonstration, and learning opportunities focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
This year, the United Way partnered with Texas Instruments to provide an interactive learning experience designed to inspire and educate the next generation of innovators.
"We are excited to host this event to foster an interest in STEM among young people," said Jennifer Sampson, McDermott-Templeton President and CEO of United Way of Metropolitan Dallas. "Sparking an interest in STEM is just one way we can prepare students to compete for good-paying jobs in high-potential fields after high school or college. By encouraging college and career readiness, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas drives meaningful progress toward our mission to improve access to education, income, and health so all North Texans can thrive.”
Lancaster ISD students participated in various interactive activities that allowed them to explore the vast world of STEM. These activities included:
Pi Buttons that teaches about geometry and how to calculate the circumference of a circle by designing and making a wearable button.
Chemistry Detectives where students investigate physical and chemical changes of matter to identify an unknown substance, using their findings to help solve a mystery at the museum.
Musical Coding where students explore the science of sound and hearing by creating music by programming the TI-InnovatorTM Hub to play a series of playful tunes.
T. rex: The Ultimate Predator that teaches students about the iconic dinosaur’s keen senses.
TI Robotics where students explore the relationship between distance, time and speed by driving the TI-InnovatorTM Rover as close as possible to the toy dog, Rover, without bumping him.
AI Facial Recognition where students discover the fascinating world of artificial intelligence, exploring how computers can recognize and identify faces with advanced technology.
On September 26, 400 of Lancaster ISD’s sixth-grade students will participate in another STEM Fest event, hosted by The United Way, at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. Those students will be introduced to the engineering design process by challenging them to build a model plane that can efficiently carry a payload, blending hands-on creativity with key aerodynamics concepts.
Click here to review the photos from the event and here to review the video recap.