As you know, one of the two areas
of major focus for the Florida Afterschool Network is the promotion of STEM
curricula and activities into afterschool programs. We believe that quality afterschool programs offer a perfect setting for
kids to get excited about science, math, engineering and technology.
On Monday October 29th, I (Larry Pintacuda, FAN CEO) had the good fortune to visit the
Science Center of Pinellas County. I was astounded by the breath and knowledge
of the staff and their commitment to helping kids get an appreciation
for the sciences. So impressed that I asked Shelly Puckett, Director of
Business Development
for the Center to do a guest blog. It is my pleasure to introduce Shelly Puckett.
“There has never been a greater
time for our Nation to focus on STEM education especially before/after/out of
school. The Science Center of Pinellas has been educating, exciting and
engaging students with hands on programs for over 53 years.
Students in grades K-12 experience
the “ah ha” moment of excitement with programs that include: Rocketry,
Lego Robotics, CSI Forensics, Mouse Trap Mechanics, Weather, Petrology and much
more. After school and during the summer, students participate in
programs that provide a real world application in science, technology,
engineering and math. The center has also built relationships with local
organizations who provide industry experts as guest speakers to our students in
the fields of engineering, technology, medical, forensics, manufacturing and
more.
Giving these students an opportunity to apply STEM in real world
environments will encourage confidence in these disciplines, creating that “ah
ha” moment."
For more information on the Science
Center of Pinellas County, please visit http://www.sciencecenterofpinellas.org.
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