Penn State Schuylkill hosts STEM Saturday

Local students get a hands-on learning experience right on campus during an Intermediate Unit and Penn State partnership event
STEM Saturday students perch themselves on Penn State Schuylkill's lion bench

Students representing county school districts visited Penn State Schuylkill campus for the seventh STEM Saturday.

Credit: Susan Williams

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Schuylkill’s Community Outreach and Business Development Department and the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29 Achieve Program recently gave local middle school students an extra special learning opportunity during STEM Saturday held Sept. 8.

“We’ve partnered with Penn State Schuylkill for 7 years for STEM Saturday to give students a taste of campus life as well as to open their minds to science, technology, engineering and math,” said Michele Daynorowicz, program coordinator for IU29 Schuylkill Achieve Cohort 7. “We seek to enhance learning opportunities for students while inspiring them to become passionate about the sciences.”

The program was made possible by an IU After School Program grant.

Students representing five county school districts enjoyed hands-on activities led by Penn State Schuylkill faculty. Daynorowicz explained that the students are excited to learn from teachers who also teach college students, giving them an experience of the "world-class university that is right in their own back yard."

Darlene Young and Nancy Schorshinsky, along with two Penn State Schuylkill students, led a MATH in ACTION activity.

“We made math memories this morning,” said Schorshinksy. “We engaged the students and put math into motion by creating a graph with our bodies on the floor.”

Darlene Young created a scavenger hunt with numbers challenging students to be creative while learning at the same time. “The future of Penn State seems very promising,” said Young.

Penn State Schuylkill Interim Chancellor Darcy Medica welcomed the students to campus and encouraged them to remember learning is a lifetime journey. “Education is very important for an entire lifetime and it can be fun,” she said. The next STEM Saturday is scheduled for November 10, 2018.