July 17, 2024
How many pennies can a tinfoil boat hold before it sinks? That’s one of the questions teams of middle school students tried to answer during the Sankofa STEM Academy hosted at Grand Rapids Community College this summer.
The five-week summer program run by STEM Greenhouse gives Grand Rapids students the opportunity to have fun while building their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
One room of students filled with laughter as the competition intensified to see who could build the strongest tinfoil boat.
Across the hallway, another group worked to solve a hypothetical murder case, examining physical evidence, DNA, and blood samples in forensic science experiments to determine which of their six suspects was guilty. In other classrooms, students learned about fractions, cursive writing, and poetry.
It’s all part of the STEM Greenhouse mission to bridge the achievement gap and ensure that children from underrepresented communities can excel in STEM with an academic foundation in math and science. The academy helps strengthen skills and confidence so students can succeed in school and life.
Students build friendships with classmates, learn to trust their teachers, and improve their STEM skills through hands-on experiential learning and weekly field trips. They also are provided with lunch and snacks.
The academy also employs local high school students as student teachers throughout the summer giving them the chance to learn through teaching. Student teachers get hands-on experience teaching younger generations, mentoring them, and sharing their own experiences..
This story was reported by Kailee Potgeter.