UMO Hosts STEM Fair for Area Third Graders
MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive recently hosted over 750 3rd graders from Wayne and Duplin County schools for a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fair, called STEM ON THE GREEN.
The event featured 30interactive booths. Each activity was linked to a concept within the third grade curriculum. Booths included Ultimate Angry Birds, Dancing Salts, Bubbling Pumpkins, Oobleck, and many more. Several area businesses and organizations also participated including Mt Olive Pickle Co., Mount Olive Police Department, Mount Olive Fire Department, and 4H Robotics #3737. According to the event coordinator Dr. Sara Lahman, the booths were designed to provide students with hands-on experience to allow them to understand associated concepts in a new light.
“The STEM fair is a great opportunity to bring together local businesses, local schools, as well as our students and administration to show that we are cohesive in supporting education in this area of NC,” said Lahman. “We want students to get excited about these disciplines that can be viewed as difficult or boring. We want to show students what they can do with science, math, engineering, and technology – to show them connections in what they are learning in the classroom with everyday life.”
Participating schools included North Duplin, Warsaw Primary, Spring Creek Elementary, Tommy’s Road Elementary, Rosewood Elementary, Meadow Lane Elementary, and Eastern Wayne Elementary.
UMO students majoring in biology, chemistry, education, agriculture, criminal justice, math, and business volunteered throughout the day at the various booths.
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University, sponsored by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists, has education service centers in Mount Olive, New Bern, Wilmington, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Research Triangle Park, Washington, Jacksonville, and online. For more information, visit www.umo.edu.
