Missouri S&T recently launched a free after-school program for three Phelps County school districts thanks in part to a grant totaling almost $2 million over the next several years.
The program, called Miners in the Making, is for K-12 students in the Rolla, Newburg and Phelps County R-III school districts and led by S&T’s Kummer Center for STEM Education.
Students in grades 6-12 can potentially join the program now, and those in grades K-5 can join in the coming months. Parents can fill out an interest form for the program at shorturl.at/V9YYR.
“This program fits perfectly with Kummer Center for STEM Education’s mission,” says Susan Reisner, a retired teacher who is now senior program support coordinator for Miners in the Making. “So many students — especially those in rural areas — may be interested in expanding their knowledge in STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math, but not have easy access to extra programming. That’s where our efforts can really make a difference.”
The program will run from the time the public schools dismiss classes for the day until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Students from the three school districts who participate in the program will be bussed to S&T, and snacks will be provided by the center. Newburg and Phelps County R-III students will also be bussed back to their schools every day when the program ends.
Time will be allotted for participants to receive homework help and tutoring from S&T students, while also learning from qualified teachers about a variety of STEM topics tailored to their age and skill levels. The topics covered will include everything from robotics and manufacturing to artificial intelligence and augmented reality.
“Each day will be a different focus for the students,” says Courtney Jones, director of S&T’s Kummer Center for STEM Education. “The curriculum is already developed, and we are excited to have more and more participants take advantage of this great resource and see them shine in our program. We want to give students as many opportunities as possible to have STEM-focused enrichment.”
Multiple community partners are playing a role with the program, including Prevention Consultants of Missouri, Kaleidoscope Discovery Center and the FIRST in Missouri robotics program.
Space and resources have been allotted for up to 150 students, and Jones says the center is working with school district leaders to identify students who would benefit from the program.
More information about the Kummer Center for STEM Education is available at stemcenter.mst.edu, and the center can be reached at stemcenter@mst.edu.
