LAKELAND, Fla. – More than 300 Girl Scouts, and girls in general, will conquer the hallways and labs of Florida Polytechnic University on Saturday, April 14, for an exciting, hands-on event focused on science, technology, engineering and math.
Florida Poly, the only public university in the state dedicated exclusively to STEM, will host STEMapalooza for the first time. The event is open to the public and will expose girls from age five to activities like coding, design, building and programming.
“Hosting STEMapalooza is a wonderful opportunity for Florida Poly to directly impact young females in Central Florida and cultivate a positive relationship with STEM,” said Michelle Powell, associate director of admissions. “This kind of immersive experience sets the tone for STEM engagement in the future.”
The event will feature interactive activities inside the innovation labs, where the participants will learn about supercomputers, augmented reality and autonomous vehicle technology, among other topics.
“We will utilize the tools we have on campus, like the 3D printers, the Supercomputer, and the Cyber Gaming and Digital Media Lab to ‘show off’ all the fun and impactful work that can be achieved through STEM disciplines,” said Powell.
For the older girls, there will be panels designed to help them discover what a STEM education and career would be like. They will also learn about the college admissions process and potential for scholarships.
“We can tell girls all the time they can do anything they put their minds to, but it’s not until they actually do it themselves that they start to believe it,” said Alexandra Thiele, STEM and program specialist for Girl Scouts of Central Florida.
STEMapalooza is open to the community from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Innovation, Science & Technology Building, located at 4700 Research Way in Lakeland. The cost is $10 per person.
“These types of events for kids are so important because if we don’t’ expose them to STEM before third grade, they lose interest in these disciplines and the confidence to think they can pursue a STEM career,” said Thiele.