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Youth Develop Problem-Solving Skills through STEM Afterschool Program

News

January 10th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

RED OAK, Iowa – Every Wednesday Red Oak 4-6th graders engage in real world problem-solving activities during an afterschool STEM program at the Montgomery County Family YMCA. The STEM Program fosters curiosity for science, technology, engineering and math. Youth participate in hands-on activities that encourage discovery-based learning and develop problem-solving skills.

Students explore a STEM challenges and work in teams to solve problems and develop solutions. The second six weeks of STEM Club will be starting January 25th from 1:45-3:00PM at the Montgomery County YMCA Rec Room. The first six weeks of challenges included: strawberry DNA extracting, understanding buoyancy through sink/float activities, understanding how drones and remote sensing can be used to solve real-world problems, and learned about the components of rockets and force.

Please contact the Extension Office at 712-623-2592 to register, or you can register at the meeting! “The volunteers and leaders strive to create a safe, fun and supportive environment where youth explore STEM topics and develop the skills to become engaged community leaders, engineers and scientists,” states Chelsea Cousins, Program Coordinator at ISU Extension and Outreach Montgomery County. “At
our first meeting, one student expressed his hesitation and by the end of the program he raised his hands and shouted ‘THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER’. If the program ignites one youth’s passion for STEM – we’ve reached our goal.”

The afterschool program will run for six consecutive weeks. Youth do not have to be a member of the YMCA to participate. The afterschool STEM program is coordinated by ISU Extension and Outreach Montgomery County in partnership with Montgomery County Family YMCA, Anderson Conservation Center, Southwest Iowa STEM Hub and Johnson Controls, INC.

The program has been made possible through the Blue Skies Grant from Johnson Controls, Inc. and the collaborative efforts of each partner. For more information, please contact ISU Extension and Outreach Montgomery County at 712-623-2592 or 400 Bridge Street, Suite 2, Red Oak, IA.