Swainsboro Primary students engage in an exciting night of STEM

A talented group of kindergarten through second graders turned a Tuesday evening into a creative science adventure during a virtual STEM NIGHT, March 16th, co-sponsored by Magnolia Midlands Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center and Swainsboro Primary School. Participating children let their skill and imaginations soar as they worked on experiments and projects grounded in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
The children worked with supplies generously donated by community sponsors to investigate the dimensions of sound, force, shapes, and problem solving. Their hands-on work produced models and prototypes that illustrated these concepts. Swainsboro Primary School Principal, Maribeth Clark said, “Our STEM Night was a huge success! This event allowed our students an opportunity to participate in hands-on experiments while being a member of a Zoom virtual classroom. Students were so excited to be able to work independently while belonging to the larger group. The night provided lots of laughter, learning, problem solving, and thinking outside of the box while having fun!”

STEM NIGHTS (Days and Weekends too) are signature events at GYSTC member kindergarten through middle schools throughout Georgia. There, students join with parents, teachers and community members to celebrate science through exhibits, performances, discussions, group activities and especially displays of potential STEM careers students might pursue in the future. Erin Youmans, GYSTC Coordinator for the Magnolia Midlands Region said, “We are so fortunate to be able to use technology to continue to reach out to students at area schools and host events like our Virtual Family Nights.”
GYSTC is an educational non-profit wholly dedicated to increasing K-8 teacher competence in STEM through support and professional learning opportunities. GYSTC works with public, private and charter school districts to encourage equality and excellence in STEM education for children throughout Georgia. For more information about activities in the Magnolia Midlands GYSTC Region, contact Erin Youmans at ehyoumans@ega.edu or (478) 289-2094. For inquiries about GYSTC and its many programs and resources, Contact Cody Richards at (470) 578-7592 or cricha48@kennesaw.edu
MMGYSTC is located at East Georgia State College in Swainsboro, Georgia. Student-focused, East Georgia State College (EGSC) - a state college offering two-year degrees and targeted bachelor degrees - provides affordable access to quality higher education, enabling all students to achieve their academic goals with minimum delay and expense. EGSC’s specialized attentiveness effectively supports a wide range of academic abilities and preparation levels. Students can pursue associate’s degrees, targeted bachelor’s degrees and transfer paths to other institutions. EGSC’s most recent prominence is in being among the first and few University System of Georgia institutions approved to award associate degrees with disciplinary distinction, which provides students a foundation of courses in a specific major, rather than just the core curriculum.