Stakeholders (SCILS) Region 8 LaSTEM Center hosted Rural STEM Day at ULM on Feb. 27. The event provided hands-on experiences for students from rural areas to spark interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Program partners collaborated to create interactive activities and build a supportive network for teachers.
Many rural schools struggle with limited funding, which affects the quality of STEM education. SCILS Director Cathi Cox-Boniol highlighted the impact of giving students access to hands-on learning.
“You may have a kid that has never done anything tactile, so they will actually do that while they are here and they will leave with something that they created,” Cox-Boniol said. “We’re hoping it’s going to spark some interest that will help enrich the experiences at school.”
To address challenges rural schools face, event partners designed activities that use affordable and simple materials. Louisiana Tech STEM Outreach Coordinator Missy Wooley emphasized how these activities empower teachers.
“Our hope is that teachers will see how excited the students are going to be experiencing the different things that are in their own backyard,” Wooley said. “We hope that it sparks ideas in the teachers to take back to their classrooms.”
Volunteers from community colleges and universities participated, forming a network that supports both students and educators. This collaboration helps teachers build connections and access resources to enhance STEM education.
“All of this different stuff is plugging the community into an educational impact,” Cox-Boniol said. “That is how our community builds and expands, because of the involvement of all of these people and that’s all about community.”
ULM Director of Precision Agriculture and UAS Research Darrion Flunder-Jenkins noted the students’ reactions to the event.
“They have been amazed by everything they have seen so far,” Flunder-Jenkins said. “They are very surprised because they didn’t realize that technology could be used in a variety of different ways.”
SCILS and its partners continue to invest in rural students by providing opportunities that can inspire future careers in STEM
