Local students see possibilities of technology at STEM-a-THON

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Kids from across south-central Kentucky got to preview the jobs of tomorrow at the STEM-a-THON on Wednesday, hosted by the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative.

Kindergarten through fifth-grade students interacted with exhibits ranging from 3D printing to flight simulators to robotics.

GRREC’s goal is to bring science, technology, engineering and math to all students, especially those who aren’t usually exposed to STEM programs.

Kaylee Crowder, events coordinator at GRREC, says, “A lot of times, our STEM opportunities are reserved for students who are high fliers, who might be gifted and talented, which there’s nothing wrong with that, but here at GRREC, we truly believe that all students deserve access to not only tier one education but also those STEM programs.”

GRECC received the General Motors Community Impact Grant to bring these opportunities to underserved communities. This year’s STEM-a-THON will reach about 600 students, inspiring curiosity and perhaps leading to future careers.

Alyas Johnson, a student at R.E. Stevenson Elementary School, says, “I got to see a vacuum happen, and there was a lot of cool stuff. We talked about corvettes, and I got to touch a robot.”

Grades six through 12 will have their opportunity on Friday to experience hands-on learning as the STEM-a-THON continues to inspire our future workforce.