SBCSS Spotlights

STEMapalooza builds dreams for math, science students

2012-09-21

Eighth-grader Zack Gerhardt of Vina Danks Middle School in Ontario has taken Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) classes, but on Sept. 21, he was able to see how what he has been learning might just lead him to a career.

He was one of about 750 students from more than a dozen San Bernardino County middle schools to attend STEMapalooza, a hands-on event where some 35 exhibitors showed off how math and science applied to their work.

"I want to be a baseball player, but if that doesn’t work out, I really enjoyed seeing the demonstrations on robotics today. That was pretty cool," Gerhardt said.

Showing students the relevance of what they are learning in the classroom to where it could take them into furthering their educations or a possibly a career was a big part of the STEMapalooza experience. The event was held at the Million Air hangar at the San Bernardino International Airport

Mike Gallo, president and chief executive officer of Kelly Space and Engineering, said it's important for students to see the practical side of their educations, so they can dream about what may be possible in their careers.

"We have to build a new culture when it comes to education," said Gallo, who serves on the school board for the San Bernardino City Unified School District. "You can see the hunger and the curiosity on these students' faces. Events like today give them the exposure to what they can be, but we need to make sure that the relevant parts of their educations are things they are working on every day."

xhibitors ranged from higher education partners like Cal State San Bernardino, Chaffey College and San Bernardino Valley College to car manufacturer Toyota and the San Bernardino County Sheriff Department. Exhibitors held demonstrations in robotics, gaming, film production, rocket-building and law enforcement. They heard from keynote speaker Garner Holt of San Bernardino, who built a world-renowned animatronics business in his hometown. The event was organized by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools' Alliance for Education.

The messages from exhibitors had common threads, especially the need to have students with strong math and science backgrounds to handle the rigors of the 21st century workforce.

"This has been an eye-opening experience for our students," said Naura McClellan, an eighth-grade STEM teacher at Ranchero Middle in Hesperia. "I think one  of the main benefits of today is that it lets our students see what's out there for jobs and careers. They all think it's pretty cool."