Middle school students STEM out on CFAY

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Liam Kennedy | Construction Electrician 1st Class Maurice Johnson, a mobile utilities support equipment technician, teaches elementary schools students from area middle schools, how to make a small generator. The demonstration was held during the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) conference which teaches students about how the Navy and different industries utilize different components of STEM in an interactive and hands-on environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Liam Kennedy/Released)  

YOKOSUKA, JAPAN

04.03.2014

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Liam Kennedy 

Navy Public Affairs Support Element Japan

YOKOUSKA, Japan – Fleet Activities Yokosuka held a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) conference for Yokosuka and Camp Zama middle school students, April 3.

STEM is an annual conference held around the base which educates middle school students on how the Navy and different industries utilize various components of new technologies in an interactive and hands-on environment.

The STEM program falls in with President Barack Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign. Obama’s plan is to prepare students to tackle the challenges of the 21st century.

“The quality of math and science teachers is the most important single factor influencing whether students will succeed or fail,” said Obama. “Passionate educators with issue expertise can make all the difference.”
Some of the activities included learning about fuel systems, electricity, firefighting search and rescue practices, Navy diving and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment.

“We showed kids that a magnet puts off an invisible field and we are showing them that if you cut wire with that field it will create electricity.” Construction Electrician 1st Class Maurice Johnson, a Mobile Utility Support Equipment technician. “The goal is to give them more understanding of how electricity is made and so far the reactions have been very positive, especially once they got their light to work.”

Yokosuka middle school’s goal was to get the kids out of the classroom into an exciting hands-on learning environment where they can personally see the effects that different STEM programs have on the world.

“The whole idea is to get the kids enthusiastic about STEM related fields and hopefully this will open some doors that they maybe didn’t know existed,” said Ruth Russell, school liaison officer, Navy Region Japan and Fleet Activities Yokosuka. “If you’re not eager to learn about something you’re not going to take the time to learn about it. The courses they select in high school will directly impact what types of colleges they can be accepted into later.”

• Date Taken: 04.03.2014
• Date Posted: 04.03.2014 23:15
• Story ID: 124180
• Location: YOKOSUKA, JP