Association leading community-wide involvement in providing science, technology, engineering and math opportunities to village youth
By Laura Katauskas | Staff Reporter
As the push to bring science and engineering to the forefront on a national level increases, the Bolingbrook community is working to do its part in bringing additional STEM opportunities to the area.
Coding and designing video games, building robots and skyscrapers, getting kids excited about what science and technology really means is at the core of a new endeavor to build this skill set.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, commonly known as STEM, is becoming a priority as the realization that there are less students studying these pursuits, potentially leaving expertise in these career fields lacking. According to the U.S. Department of Education, STEM jobs are expected to grow at almost double the rate of the national average in the near future, and currently there are not enough adults educated in STEM fields to fill current jobs.
Born of an idea to increase awareness and exposure of STEM, a group of individuals began the notion to create the Bolingbrook STEM Association (BSA), beginning the initiative in May 2017. Now, fully established, the group is on its way to providing that hands-on experience.
“My 20-year career in the technology industry has provided me with an understanding of the constant evolution of technology, and the great need to ensure that our youth are prepared to fill the STEM related careers of the future,” said Sheldon Watts, director and founder of BSA. “This understanding sparked my desire to establish the Bolingbrook STEM Association. What makes our STEM program particularity unique is that it is truly a “community wide” initiative.”
Watts explains that he and a group of like-minded individuals, established the organization with the goal of fostering an increased awareness and exposure around STEM, hoping to begin more conversation, local programming and activities centered on the theme within the community.
“I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my fellow BSA board members who have been extremely dedicated to the mission of bringing fun and exciting STEM learning opportunities to the Bolingbrook area,” said Watts. “The board has been able to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time, and it’s due to the talents and expertise that each member brings to the organization.The team work exhibited has been phenomenal, and the focus is always on what’s best for the children and youth of our community.”
BSA is partnering and working closely with the Village of Bolingbrook, the Valley View School District, the Fountaindale Public Library, the Bolingbrook Park District, local churches and businesses and hopes to bring in partnerships with universities and laboratories.
In addition, BSA is currently operating under the umbrella of the Community Service Council as a non-profit organization while it seeks its own non-profit status.
The Fountaindale Public Library District, in a proclamation, recently formalized the BSA and Fountaindale’s partnership to provide STEM education to Bolingbrook and declared its support for the BSA’s mission to provide fun and challenging experiences while utilizing hands on technologically enhanced curriculum that inspires creative, analytical and critical thinking.
“We are extremely grateful for the continued support of Fountaindale Library District, who has been on board since the inception of BSA,” said Watts.“We look forward to continuing to work with our “state of the art” library to bring STEM to the community in a big way! Together, we’re confident that we can make a huge impact on the lives of our children and youth.”
Watts said the program has been very well received by the community, and that the positive feedback has been tremendous with its first major event, the Winter Break STEM Camp, having 75 students participate in the fun.
Fountaindale further supported the BSA when the Friends of Fountaindale Library provided free scholarships to their Winter Break STEM Camps, which took place from January 2 through January 5. The library held a free drawing for library cardholders to enter to win a scholarship. One scholarship was awarded to a child in each age group (ages 4-7, 8-11, 12-14 and 15-18). The library received 117 entries in total.
“Our community is a thriving, diverse and family-friendly community that lives up to its motto, A Place to Grow!,” said Peggy J. Danhof, Fountaindale Public Library’s Board President. “It is important that our community’s children and teens have an opportunity to participate in STEM activities so that they can continue to grow in these important fields.”
Banking on the success of that winter camp, BSA is in the process of planning a spring break, and summer break STEM Camp.
In addition, BSA is always looking for volunteers for staffing events and to teach STEM related curriculum, and is seeking funding assistance for student sponsorships, laptop computers and robotic kits and other miscellaneous program expenses.
For more information, check out the BSA Website http://www.bolingbrookstem.org/ and like their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bolingbrookstem/?ref=br_rs