CARLSBAD, N.M. - Gifted and talented students in fifth- through eighth-grade participated in Exploration & Imagination Station Day to expand their interest and knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum and job opportunities.
Nuclear Waste Partnership, LLC, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, the management and operations contractor for EM’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), sponsored the event that brought Carlsbad Municipal School (CMS) students together for STEM-focused activities. Interactive stations included opportunities like WIPP 101 information sessions, slime making, and Rube Goldberg invention activities.
“NWP’s professionals allowed students to see the exciting and fun parts of STEM while still learning valuable lessons about STEM-related careers," CMS Assistant Superintendent Kelli Barta said. “Partnerships between CMS and NWP are invaluable to our students because the students can engage with STEM leaders."
The event included 11-science related stations that kept over 60 students engaged with hands-on activities throughout the day.
“As volunteers, we learn just as much from the students as they do from us," said NWP’s Khush Ghadiali, who heads the WIPP Speakers Bureau Program. “The students are willing to engage, think out of the box, and participate. NWP is proud to sponsor events like this and encourage their love for science."
Barta said events like Exploration & Imagination Station Day opens students’ eyes to the possibility of STEM-related jobs and new, innovative careers of the future.
“We may not know all of the jobs of tomorrow, but we do know that events like this will allow for creative, exciting opportunities for our students," Barta said.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management
