Southwest PTO puts on first ever STEAM fair showcases career options
Southwest Elementary students (left to right) Sinclair Dahl, Katherine Taylor and Lexi Taylor visit Mercy’s booth during the STEAM fair.
May 6, 2015
Charlea Mills
For the first time ever, the Southwest Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) organized an event to showcase career choices to students and members of the community. The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) fair was held on Wednesday, April 29, in the high school commons area and featured a variety of professionals from local businesses and organizations.
The STEAM fair included 20 different organizations who presented information to around 150 people, both students and their family members, and explained how science, technology, engineering, art and math influence their field. To draw people in, the Southwest PTO also held drawings for door prizes for students who talked to at least ten different representatives throughout the evening, and Mercy Hospitals provided food for the exhibitors and participants.
STEAM fair chair Marlene Benninger, who is the Southwest PTO secretary, said, “We originally wanted to do a science fair, but we didn’t think that the community was ready for that yet. So instead, we decided to go this route and have businesses show what careers are out there, things that they weren’t aware of.”
Some of the more unique booths included a mobile health unit brought in by Mercy Hospitals as well as other technology utilized by the hospital, such as a gastrointestinal camera that helps doctors diagnose patients. Mercy also provided free food at the event to volunteers and visitors. The Cross Community 4-H group brought in a remote-controlled robot and showed students the types of equipment they use to compete in robotics competitions. Student groups, like the Southwest Agriculture class members, also had booths. The Ag students had an incubator filled with hatching eggs.
Students were encouraged to ask questions at each of the booths to help them understand what is needed to go into a particular field of study as well as what area businesses in the community do and why those services are vital.
Benninger said, “It was more successful than what we thought it would be. We knew it would be a success, but I don’t think any of us thought it would be as successful as it was.”
She went on, “We had hoped to have 100 people, and we well surpassed 100.”
Not only did students ask questions of the exhibitors, but even parts got in on the conversation, asking how one becomes trained to do certain jobs. Many students used the event to talk about what they love to do, whether that be art, writing, building things or conducting experiments. Exhibitors helped the kids understand how they can follow those passions into successful careers down the road.
Benninger said, “The whole purpose is that you can do anything you set your mind to if you want it bad enough, that’s what we want these kids to do. Just because we are a small population, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be a doctor, lawyer, nurse or editor. Anything is possible for these kids, that’s what we want them to know.”
The event Wednesday night was run by five PTO volunteers and around ten students. The PTO also holds a daddy daughter dance, three book fairs each year, run the concession stand for the middle school basketball and volleyball games, concession for the school Field Day, and gives away two high school scholarships each year as well as teacher appreciation gifts.
Benninger said the event was so successful that they definitely plan to add it to the roster of activities that the PTO supports. “We would definitely like this to become an annual event.”
Charlea Mills
For the first time ever, the Southwest Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) organized an event to showcase career choices to students and members of the community. The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) fair was held on Wednesday, April 29, in the high school commons area and featured a variety of professionals from local businesses and organizations.
The STEAM fair included 20 different organizations who presented information to around 150 people, both students and their family members, and explained how science, technology, engineering, art and math influence their field. To draw people in, the Southwest PTO also held drawings for door prizes for students who talked to at least ten different representatives throughout the evening, and Mercy Hospitals provided food for the exhibitors and participants.
STEAM fair chair Marlene Benninger, who is the Southwest PTO secretary, said, “We originally wanted to do a science fair, but we didn’t think that the community was ready for that yet. So instead, we decided to go this route and have businesses show what careers are out there, things that they weren’t aware of.”
Some of the more unique booths included a mobile health unit brought in by Mercy Hospitals as well as other technology utilized by the hospital, such as a gastrointestinal camera that helps doctors diagnose patients. Mercy also provided free food at the event to volunteers and visitors. The Cross Community 4-H group brought in a remote-controlled robot and showed students the types of equipment they use to compete in robotics competitions. Student groups, like the Southwest Agriculture class members, also had booths. The Ag students had an incubator filled with hatching eggs.
Students were encouraged to ask questions at each of the booths to help them understand what is needed to go into a particular field of study as well as what area businesses in the community do and why those services are vital.
Benninger said, “It was more successful than what we thought it would be. We knew it would be a success, but I don’t think any of us thought it would be as successful as it was.”
She went on, “We had hoped to have 100 people, and we well surpassed 100.”
Not only did students ask questions of the exhibitors, but even parts got in on the conversation, asking how one becomes trained to do certain jobs. Many students used the event to talk about what they love to do, whether that be art, writing, building things or conducting experiments. Exhibitors helped the kids understand how they can follow those passions into successful careers down the road.
Benninger said, “The whole purpose is that you can do anything you set your mind to if you want it bad enough, that’s what we want these kids to do. Just because we are a small population, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be a doctor, lawyer, nurse or editor. Anything is possible for these kids, that’s what we want them to know.”
The event Wednesday night was run by five PTO volunteers and around ten students. The PTO also holds a daddy daughter dance, three book fairs each year, run the concession stand for the middle school basketball and volleyball games, concession for the school Field Day, and gives away two high school scholarships each year as well as teacher appreciation gifts.
Benninger said the event was so successful that they definitely plan to add it to the roster of activities that the PTO supports. “We would definitely like this to become an annual event.”
