Washtenaw Community College to host free monthly STEAM Saturday events for middle schoolers

A girl waves to her computer screen. (Pexels)

ANN ARBOR – Washtenaw Community College is launching a new series this weekend focused on science, technology, engineering, art and math education for area middle schoolers.

The free, virtual workshops will be led by WCC faculty members each month with the hopes of introducing local students and their families to the world of STEAM and its many career options.

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The first workshop to kick off the series will be hosted on Saturday from 1-2 p.m.

The interactive “Not So Random” Math Probability workshop will be led by Megan Richendollar and will feature games, music and a Jeopardy-style game board in which teams can put their probability math skills to the test. All math levels are welcome, and younger and older students as well as family members can register.

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Below are WCC’s other monthly sessions, according to a release. You may click on the links to register for each event:

  • Sept. 18, STEAM career workshop, Susan Dentel – Learn about exciting STEAM careers by playing a fun game. During this session we will also build a mystery widget using materials from home.
  • Oct. 30, Improv Yourself!, Tracy Jaffe – Dip your toe into improv while building critical thinking and communication skills. Perfect for beginners, this workshop environment will engage critical thinking skills through games that spark thinking outside of the box to open new possibilities and pathways in problem solving.
  • Nov. 6, Science Poetry, Tom Zimmerman, Maryam Barrie and Ernesto Querijero – Students will learn about poems written about science in all its complexity and beauty. Poetry is a powerful way to engage your intellect imaginatively.
  • Dec. 4, Climate Change: Science, Scenarios, and Solutions, Smita Malpani – This fun, interactive and informative session focuses on the science of climate change.
  • Jan. 22, Critters and Climate Change: What Animals are Telling Us About Our Environment, David Wooten – As climate change and global warming continue to threaten natural ecosystems around our planet, animals must continue to adapt in order to survive. This session offers a virtual hands-on look at how certain types of animals are informing us about climate change and what we can do to help.
  • Feb. 12, Cool Chemistry, Tracy and Eric Schwab – This workshop led by WCC chemistry professors will allow students to build molecular models of everyday chemicals, gain experience using various chemicals and equipment, and also solve mysteries and crimes such as coin counterfeiting.
  • March 19, Persuasion from ‘No’ to ‘Yes’: The Pitch Technique, Claire Sparklin – In STEAM fields, it’s important to know and communicate your idea’s worth to stakeholders. Whether it’s communicating with teachers, friends or others, this active “hands-on” session helps students practice the pitch technique to learn how to be more persuasive and start hearing more “Yes!” and less “No.”
  • April 9, Fun with Probability, Nicole Klemmer – Students will explore fun and practical applications of probability and statistics through investigations, games and finding ways to connect probability and statistics to everyday life.
  • May 14, Why Scientists MUST be Artists: A look into the disciplines of creativity, artistry, and altruism to STEM Innovation, Michael Naylor – This session looks into the qualities and mindsets of artists as it promotes innovation, risk-taking, thinking out of the box and problem-solving, all cornerstones of STEM innovation.

For more information about Washtenaw Community College, visit www.wccnet.edu.