Full STEM ahead for Powers

Katie Powers wants students to be engaged and excited about STEM topics.

The Girl Scout Gold Award Recipient created a project that is kept at the Homer Public Library. The STEM center includes a 3D printer, STEM books and STEM kits.

“I came to the conclusion that students needed to have a resource that would make learning engaging and exciting so that they would be more interested in STEM topics,” said Powers, a Parkland Pathways student who will eventually go to the University of Illinois and Uni High School graduate. Powers went to Heritage Elementary School.

Powers said that nationally, the United States is having trouble keeping teens interested in STEM topics and careers, with STEM standing for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

She hopes her project can change that in the Homer area.

The project, which helped Powers earn her Gold Award, took months and months of planning.

“There is a lot of work being done kind of behind the scenes,” Powers said.

To start a Gold Award, scouts have to meet certain requirements, then there is a proposal process and an extensive interview.

For her proposal, Powers had to lay out her plan in great detail including what her goals were, how much it would cost, how and when she would fundraise, when would she complete her project and how her plan was sustainable. Most importantly, she had to demonstrate how the project would address an issue that was happening in her area as well as in a national or global context.

“Before my project would even technically start,” Power said, “there was a lot of research I had to do.”

This included research on the 3D printer, STEM kits and STEM books as well as the declining interest in STEM.

Once the project was approved, Powers started work on the project, which takes a minimum of 80 hours.

Powers said her main issue was fundraising the $2,700 needed for her project, but she her artwork to help fundraise for the project.

“It took a long time to get that money,” she said. “I was able to get a lot of fundraising done for my project as selling magnets and bookmarks were my main fundraiser.”

She also spent ample time researching to make sure she was purchasing the right kits and getting everything she needed for a 3D printer.

“In the later stages of the process, I set up the 3D printer and built the safety box around the 3D printer,” she said.

The final part of the project included making the video, so that the community would know about the new STEM center. Powers originally planned on having a program at the Homer Library to explain the project, but COVID-19 made her change plans.

Once the project was completed, final paperwork is submitted to demonstrate the project addressed the problems identified, is sustainable and fulfills the proper length of a Gold Award project.
Powers said it was important that students get exposure to STEM education that is engaging for them.

“The thing is, students are getting taught science and math in school, but not necessarily in a way that suits the needs of each student,” she said. “The STEM center is available for students no matter how they learn, with STEM kits and the 3D printer for a more interactive experience as well as STEM books for those who like to read.”

Powers said she hopes the project helps students realize STEM is interesting and not too difficult or boring. As the collection grows, she expects students to be exposed to STEM topics they haven’t learned about in school.

“Which I think would make them more interested and curious about learning more,” she said.

Powers said the kits would have been invaluable when she was attending Heritage Elementary School and allowed her to have a deeper understanding of certain STEM principles, along with learning about new ones.

“I know that although I can understand STEM from reading, it really helps me if I can interact with some of the properties and ideas discussed so that it sticks with me,” she said. “So if I had the kits when I was at Heritage, I think I would have had a firmer base of my knowledge in STEM, which would have been helpful as I got older. I also think that the STEM kits would have been a lot of fun for me because I know from just using the kits a little bit that I enjoyed them.”

Powers said Girl Scouts has helped expose her to many different topics and experiences. From kayaking, rock climbing and doing high ropes courses to fire building, music and knot tying, but Powers said her favorite part is leading the younger Girl Scouts.

“When I do that, I can help teach them the things I find really interesting,” she said.

The Gold Award winner said scouting has taught her leadership skills, time management and planning skills, researching skills, fundraising skills,and advertising skills, which she believes she will use in the future. However, the most important item Girl Scouts taught Powers was to always leave things better than she found it. She hopes she has done that with her STEM project.
“The most important thing I learned,” Powers said, “is to use these skills to make the world a better place.”