STEM Pals: Connecting Savannah River Site Experts to the Community

Jackson STEAM Middle School students participate in a "Guess Who?" game to meet their Savannah River Site STEM Pal for the first time. Cynthia Hewitt, Education Outreach specialist for Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, left, introduces SRS STEM Pals Allison Flatt, Carla Wheeler, Colleen Davis, Sounisa Phadoungsy and Terry Wilder.

EMTV: Watch the Savannah River Site STEM Pals program reveal.

Educators initiate the writing relationship by drafting a letter with students that contains questions on SRS careers and STEM-related topics.

After months of exchanging letters, Jackson STEAM Middle School students met their experts face-to-face.

"My favorite part of the experience was reading the unique and thoughtful questions from each student," said Allison Flatt, SRNS Mechanical Systems engineer. "I am not here to make every student an engineer, but to inspire students to pursue higher education opportunities and find their true passion. I loved describing my role as a female engineer at SRS and getting to know each class on a personal level."

Jackson STEAM Middle School educator Jennifer McMillian was amazed at how the letters quickly became a class favorite, with students spending time each week reading and responding to the them.

"My students have anxiously awaited the opportunity to meet their pals, after corresponding since January on different STEM topics," said McMillian. "It is a great way to incorporate writing into our curriculum while getting to know real experts in the scientific community."

Savannah River Site STEM Pal Colleen Davis discusses engineering careers with students at Jackson STEAM Middle School.

Letter topics often connect to classroom lectures, studies, field trips and local STEM opportunities.

"This opportunity has furthered our classroom discussions," continued McMillian. "We've been able to respond to our STEM Pals with class pictures and descriptions of our activities covering invertebrates, snap circuits and watersheds."

Zoe Marshall, a sixth grade student at the school, benefited by discussing career opportunities with SRS STEM Pals Victoria Ibarra and Anthony "Tony" Holm, both engineers.

"Reading each letter from Victoria and Tony was something I looked forward to every Friday," said Marshall. "It brought our entire class together as we learned each other's interests and perspectives. I would love the chance to continue this STEM Pal relationship in the future."

Savannah River Site STEM Pal and Engineering Staffing and Development Manager Carla Wheeler waits to greet Jackson STEAM Middle School students after writing pen pal letters since January.

Hewitt said SRS hopes to inspire students by exposing them to unique careers available at the site.

"Our STEM Pal initiative makes it easy for our employees to volunteer and broaden students' scope of career possibilities as they advance through school," Hewitt said.

To spark a pen pal relationship with an SRS expert, fill out an interest form.

-Contributor: Mackenzie McNabb