I signed Ashley and Owen up for the College of Western Idaho's STEM Out day and got a few of their friends' parents to sign their kids up so I ended up taking a group of five to the Micron Building bright and early for a day of fun. We ended up in the purple group with five other kids and they all got STEM Out backpacks with goodies and tickets to get free lunch.
Our first class was in the Auto Body department where the kids got to practice painting a car and spot welded metal. They also where able to see inside a car's frame to see all the different parts that make a car work.
Then we went to the Power Sports Department where they each got to race remote control cars around a track made out of different size tires from lawnmowers to motorcycles. Then they were fitted for helmets and got to take a ride in a Razor outside on a big obstacle course.
In the Machine Tool Department they were shown how the students design tools and items on the computer then the code is sent to the machines where the kids got to watch mini aluminum tops being made. They each got to help make a top and then keep it.
They all traded their lunch tickets in for lunch from Jimmy Johns and watched presentations then the raffle for prizes. Owen won a science book and movie tickets.
In the Physics Class they worked together in teams and created their own roller coasters. We then moved on to the Early Education Class where the kids build patterns with colored blocks and made tracks for marbles.
Our last class of the day was in the Mechtronics Department where they learned about circuits and each got a Snap Circuit kits to take home. It was a fun and educational day and we can't wait to sign up next year to take some of the other classes like Welding, Nursing etc.
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| Owen spot welding |
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| Power Sports remote control track |
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| Owen and Joseph with their tops |
