Jasmine: Hi, l'm Jasmine.
Chrissy: I'm Chrissy.
Becky: And I'm Becky.
Jasmine: We're from NIU STEAM and...
Chrissy: You're listening to The Sound of Science on WNIJ.
Jasmine: Occasionally, we have mentioned The Barb City STEAM Team, our NIU STEAM afterschool program, which engages and mentors middle schoolers from Clinton-Rosette and Huntley Middle Schools. Recently, NIU STEAM instructor Becky collaborated with students to explore leadership.
Becky: A few months back we were talking about our Barb City STEAM program and how to support our students with having people from our community that they could look up to as role models. Some of us are lucky, at a young age, to be exposed to people not only with strong leadership qualities, but also the compassion and selflessness of giving back to others. However, we know not everyone is afforded this opportunity early on and it was important for us to make sure all our kids met individuals who live these qualities day-in and day-out.
Chrissy: Partnering with community leaders enhances STEAM careers by offering mentorship, real-world applications, and access to valuable networks. These leaders (business owners, policy makers, activists, or educators) provide insights into the practical use of not only STEAM skills, but important life skills, in addressing local and global challenges, inspiring students to leverage their knowledge for meaningful social impact and change.
Becky: We were so fortunate to reach out to a wide variety of leaders living and working in the DeKalb community who stepped up to the plate without hesitation. Each of them volunteered to share their time and talents in unique ways to speak to our students. We are so grateful and appreciative of all they did to support our program.
Jasmine: At the conclusion of the session, students were grouped by one of four topics of their choosing and then created their own scripts to read here. We are both proud and excited to share the airwaves with them as they share their journey with you.
Chrissy: You have been listening to The Sound of Science on WNIJ, where you learn something new every day.
