Year 9 STEM for Humanity Day

On Thursday last week, the year 9 Science Enrichment students, along with Mrs Wills and Mr Lucas, participated in a STEM day at UniSA, Mawson Lakes campus. This was a day dedicated to learning about and taking part in engaging, hands on activities specifically dedicated to the role STEM can play in serving disadvantaged communities in various countries. STEM Enrichment Days provide an excellent way for students to approach science and engineering from a different perspective and explore new, stimulating and refreshing types of activities and content, that we wouldn’t always get a chance to learn about in the classroom. We learnt about a disadvantaged community in Kenya, with over two hundred thousand people living in 2.5 square kilometres, and how GPS tracking and mapping of the area, was one of the most helpful tools in rebuilding the community, as well as gaining a fundamental understanding of mapping and direction. We then got a chance to try 3D printing and designing to repair water pipes and ended the day with a fun and exciting group challenge, involving building an efficient water filter on different budgets.

The STEM For Humanity Day and the STEM Day last year have both been a fantastic load of fun for the students and most importantly an opportunity to be shown how science and engineering skills can be useful in the real world as it is evolving and changing.

Evie Gleghorn
Regis 9.2