The event, hosted by Andrews’ STEM Division in partnership with the Lake Union Office of Education, provided an opportunity for teachers to engage in collaborative lab experiences and to equip themselves with new teaching tools.
With support from a $60,000 grant provided by the Versacare Foundation, the event covered all expenses for the educators, including accommodations, meals and STEM resource kits for their schools. The kits, customized for different grade levels, contained materials for science, math and physics experiments, allowing teachers to implement the knowledge gained at the event in their classrooms immediately.
Monica Nudd, the event coordinator, emphasized the collaborative effort behind the day. “This grant was in collaboration with the Lake Union Office of Education, which wanted to boost STEM programs across five conferences. We aimed to create an experience where teachers could be hands-on in our labs and take what they learned back to their classrooms,” Nudd shared.
Ruth Horton, EdD, director of education for the Lake Union Conference, spoke to the importance of providing educators with the tools to engage their students in STEM learning. “We want educators to be as best equipped as possible to provide STEM opportunities, starting from elementary through high school, so that students are exposed to these fields early on,” she said.
