Two Blues uses a week for fun STEM learning
Rising second through rising seventh graders from area schools had an opportunity to learn about math, science, technology and engineering during an annual Two Blues STEM Camp, which took place at Farragut High School from June 19 through June 23.
The camp is a combined effort between the Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics departments at FHS and Hardin Valley Academy. Students from as far as Chattanooga participated.
“I think it’s fun,” Cooper Whitworth, a Farragut Intermediate rising fourth grader, said. “I’m learning that you have to keep trying, and when you fail, you try again.”
“They’re using existing technology to build something cool,” said Paul Smith, a South-Doyle Middle School teacher who helped with a time lapse project.
“They’re building a structure and then taking individual snapshots of the structure being built,” he said. “Then, they will go back on an app, press play and see it completed.”
Janelle McKinley, a HVA rising junior, was one of the high school students assisting with the camp.
“My teacher, Ms. [Teal] McInturff, was telling our algebra class about this and encouraged us to participate,” Janelle said. “I wanted to do it because I really like kids and I like to see them grow and be a part of their growing process.”
“I saw the information at school,” Alicia Soni, an FHS sophomore, said. “I’ve always been interested in these subjects, so I thought that if younger kids are interested as well, it would be cool to see the way they think and motivate them in these subjects.”
“This will be the fourth year in a row I’ve done this,” Daniel Mountain, a HVA graduate said about assisting. “Even though I’ve graduated, I thought it would be a good time to come back and teach the students about STEM.”
“I learned about periodic tables,” said Joannna Hanbee Lee, a third-grader from Farragut Intermediate School.
Natalie Sisk, an FHS teacher, said the students were taught about Lewis Dot structures.
“They plotted valance electrons and learned how elements lose and gain to make compounds,” Sisk said.
In another room, Molly Glenn and Reagan Harris, both Hardin Valley Elementary students, learned the basics of coding on a computer so they could code their own game.
