Southeastern Illinois College (SIC) held their annual STEM Day event Sept. 13. Students from high schools across Southern Illinois were invited to attend and participate in various STEM related activities.
STEM Day is designed to help students decide what they potentially want to do as a career. According to SIC’s website, STEM Day features “multiple activity sessions on topics such as biotechnology, ecology, microbiology, anatomy, physics, information technology and mathematics.”
“(STEM Day) gives students a chance to see a variety of information,” Information Technology Instructor Scott Reed said.
Some students signed up for rotations that go along with careers they hope to pursue after high school.
“I did a computer security (rotation) and Shapes and Structures,” junior Katelinn Dzierzanski said. “I want to go into architecture or be a doctor.”
Some students really enjoyed STEM day.
“I really liked doing the firework rotation. It was pretty interesting to see it, and I got to watch a Skittle explode, so that was pretty cool,” junior Sarah Girtman said. “I liked being able to see different cells and differentiate from plant cells, human cells, and blood cells too.”
Other students did not love the event noting that they were unable to attend the rotations they wanted.
“I wanted the cadaver rotation and got the fireworks rotation,” junior Olivia Wysinski said. “I feel as if it’s unfair.”
Reed thinks that the event can be beneficial to figuring out a career.
“Maybe (students can) find something that piques their interest for future educational opportunities,” Reed said.
