On July 6th and 7th, several educators, technology specialists, and administrators attended the annual JASON National Conference in Leesburg, Virginia. The conference focuses on STEM education, design thinking, and providing equitable STEM education to all students.
Title I Supervisor, Rhonda Rogers and Technology Integration Specialist, Heather Farley were presenters at the conference discussing the use of JASON Learning resources to create a STEM initiative in Mercer County in the form of the STEM bus. This bus travels to elementary schools in the county providing hands-on, engaging activities to students. Teachers at the school continue with lessons introduced in the STEM bus, and then at the end of the year a culminating, collaborative project is completed.
Mr. Toman presented information on the JASON Argonaut program he implemented in other counties and brought to Mercer County. The Argonaut team works directly with JASON scientists, engineers, and other inspiring STEM role models, assisting them on field expeditions, joining them in their lab or office, or being mentored by them remotely. Mercer County's first two student Argonauts and a teacher were named last fall. In September, they will travel to Boston to meet with scientists and tech start up groups.
The participants from Mercer County in addition to Mr. Toman, Rhonda Rogers, and Heather Farley, were Jozett Cooper, Angela Fisher, Cynthia Grant, Danielle Farmer, Rosemary Mitchell, and Melissa Boothe. They are excited to share ideas with administrators and educators in Mercer County.
