SAE Update - December 2022 - 27

SAE
FOuNDATION
increasing accessibility and inclusion for
participants. Kia also has a strong volunteer
presence in all elementary schools in the
district. Not only do volunteers support the
competitions, but they show students how
to take what they learn from the JetToy
challenge and apply it to areas outside the
classroom and in potential careers.
Students learn valuable skills they can
utilize inside and outside of the classroom,
like problem-solving, literacy, critical
thinking, and more. Problem-solving
became an important piece for these
students. Rather than getting upset that
something didn't go right, students worked
as a team. Sara was blown away by the
high-level conversations these fifth-graders
were having.
For Sara, the most rewarding part of this
experience was witnessing a student who
struggled with the standard core
curriculum thrive in this new hands-on way
of learning.
" Within the first days of the AWIM Straw
Rocket challenge, the student had an
incredible grasp over how to manipulate
the resources given to produce the best
rocket. There was a light and excitement
to participating that I hadn't really seen
before. It made me happy to see how
confident they felt so early in the design
process. "
The student gained a level of confidence
after discovering the results of the
competition.
" This confidence not only led to the
UPDATE
Support STEM!
You can help provide equitable, hands-on
STEM learning experiences to young learners
who may not otherwise have access. Your
gift directly supports students and teachers.
Donate today and contact foundation@sae.
org to learn how you can get involved as a
corporate partner or volunteer.
student winning our distance launch
competition, but also gave that student the
opportunity to help and teach others.
When all was said and done, this student
beat the entire fifth-grade in the distance
competition! All the other fifth-graders
rallied behind this student and celebrated
their success. It was something truly
special to be a part of. "
The AWIM program allows students who
aren't successful in the traditional
classroom setting to thrive in small group
settings. These AWIM challenges reach ESL
students, neuro-divergent students, and
those with behavioral or learning
disabilities in a way that traditional
classroom learning cannot.
Beyond learning, students develop a
sense of pride and confidence, showing
them that they are capable of learning
STEM. The unofficial motto for Troup
County School District is " a place for every
kid, " which could not be more accurate.
When teachers like Sara are able to
integrate hands-on STEM programming like
JetToy, students' minds are opened to a
whole new world of possibilities. n
December 2022
27
https://www.saefoundation.org/
SAE Update - December 2022

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