Sango Elementary students visit APSU for STEM day
(Posted Tuesday, April 11, 2023)
By Sara Klosterman
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Sango Elementary School kindergarten classes enjoyed a fun-filled STEM day on April 11 at Austin Peay State University, with many volunteers dedicating their time to ensure the children had a memorable experience.
The event was held in the Memorial Health Building’s gym, where Dr. Karen Meisch, dean of Austin Peay’s College of STEM, warmly welcomed the kindergarteners to the campus. All the students were then divided into groups and spent approximately 45 minutes exploring the demonstrations before switching activities.
The students actively participated in each scientific station and gained valuable firsthand experience with scientific gadgets. They could be found asking questions and taking turns with one another.
Yuriy Holovchak, a volunteer at the event, demonstrated the gyroscope demo, explaining the scientific phenomenon behind the demonstration in a fun and interactive way that captured the children’s attention. He said his experience as a current student in Austin Peay’s physics department helped him get comfortable with the items used in the demonstration.
“I’ve played with most of these before and I know how it works,” Holovchak said. “Because of that, I thought it would be fun to explain to the children how these demos work.”
The students listened with fascination as Holovchak demonstrated the gyroscope. They then had the opportunity to try each scientific gadget themselves and learn the basics of physics from firsthand experience.
Meleah Lanier, another physics student volunteer, used the whirly tubes station to highlight a variety of scientific phenomena.
“The demos demonstrated magnetism, lights, electricity and sound,” Lanier said. “[They] were effective in displaying the big basics of physics.”
Each demo provided the children with opportunities to develop their scientific curiosity and understanding. The event was a resounding success and highlighted the importance of providing young students with engaging STEM learning opportunities.
Meisch, who planned and finalized the agenda, expressed her appreciation to all who volunteered their time to help fill in the necessary details and ensure the proper permissions were in place for the requested spaces.
Overall, the Sango kindergarten classes had an unforgettable experience as they explored the fascinating world of STEM, thanks to the collaboration between the University and Sango Elementary and the dedication of the volunteers who helped make it happen.