Full STEM ahead: Annual festival returns to Washington
Courtesy of Dr. Christine Coyle, president of the Southwestern PA/STEMFest committee
Southwestern PA STEMFest Committee member Paula Matthews walks students through a catapult-making activity at a previous STEMFest event. This year’s festival will include hands-on activities and STEM displays like a robotics demonstration.
Courtesy of Dr. Christine Coyle, president of the Southwestern PA/STEMFest committee
STEMFest attendees will learn while enjoying activities and demonstrations in the science, technology, engineering and math fields. Here, a festival attendee enjoys a hands-on activity at a previous STEMFest.
Courtesy of Dr. Christine Coyle, president of the Southwestern PA/STEMFest committee
Teachers from Sewickley Academy are ready to assist students and parents who participate in the hands-on activity at the STEMFest in 2019. Last year’s festival was virtual but the STEMFest returns Saturday to this spot under the Community Pavilion in downtown Washington.
The third-annual Southwestern PA STEMFest takes place Saturday under the Community Pavilion along Main Street in downtown Washington.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., is free. All Washington and Greene county students and their parents are welcome to attend.
“Years ago we had said there really wasn’t a huge opportunity in the area for kids for STEM projects,” said Cheryl Putnam, a member of the Southwestern PA STEM Fest Committee. “Schools have some things, but it’s kind of limited. This is something for the whole area.”
Putnam, a civil engineer, has worked alongside Dr. Christine Coyle, the committee’s president and founder of What About Steam LLC., for three years to bring the festival to life. The city of Washington Citywide Development Corporation assisted in planning and EQT serves as STEMFest’s main sponsor.
Last year, the festival moved online because of the global pandemic, but vendors are scheduled to set up under the pavilion to perform live demonstrations and guide students through various STEM-based activities.
“It’s all hands-on. The drone guy is coming back, you can fly a drone,” Putnam said. “There’ll be robotics, W&J will be there. It’s pretty neat.”
Putnam said turnout for the first two festivals surpassed the committee’s expectations and she hopes the sunshine in the forecast this weekend brings students to this year’s fest.
“It’s so fun. You stop and you look around at everybody, the kids are so engrossed. They’re learning, but I don’t even think they know that they’re learning,” she said.
Along with science, technology, engineering and mathematic demonstrations and activities, local food trucks will be serving up tasty treats on site.
The committee asks that anyone who has not been vaccinated wear a mask. Hand sanitizer and washing stations will be set up under the pavilion.
“It’s really just a great experience for the kids,” said Putnam. “It’s just a lot of fun.”