At today’s Let’s Grow SteamX youth college and career expo over 70 exhibitors including colleges, large corporations, city assets, and local resources were on-site to teach students from 40+ schools about career opportunities and ways to succeed at your career goals.
The event featured seminar classes on topics such as technology in film, women in technology (hosted by leading women at TSYS) and what to expect during the college experience. Some seminars focused on ways to market yourself and exude confidence, while others were discussions with successful business people, like Lonnie Johnson, American inventor and creator of the Super Soaker.
Although the successful and knowledgeable speakers, fast robots and scaling card towers were quite impressive, what was most remarkable was the interest of the students, elementary through high school, and the dreams they didn’t even know they had until today.
I watched teenagers and educators work with welding machinery, while elementary students awed at the large hammer created from steel. I commented on the intricacy of a welded dinosaur on the table and one student promptly asked me for the definition of intricacy. Students learned about the science behind Columbus Water Works, and their frequent use of robots and drones in the daily workforce. Nearly every exhibitor offered a hands-on demonstration as an introduction to their business’s place in the workforce. Students left the Columbus Trade Center with a greater understanding of “how things work” and an inspiration for their future.
Let’s Grow SteamX was the host of today’s exploration of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematical educational and career options. They are a community-supported platform that delivers exciting experiences based on the STEAM disciplines for Pre-K through 12th-grade students. They rely on the support of the local community businesses and donations. The event was sponsored by TSYS, Aflac, Columbus Tape & Video, Georgia Power, Liberty Utilities, Columbus State University, City of Columbus, GA, Columbus Technical College and Fountain City Classic.
For more information on Let’s Grow SteamX, visit their website https://letsgrowsteam.org/
