Thanks to ongoing support from the Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary and Rotary International District 6360, students engaged in the STEM Learning Platform through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor will continue to advance in the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
The Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary Club is partnering with the Clubs on the “STEM Learning Platform” project funded by a $2,250 challenge grant from Rotary International District 6360, and the group recently completed phase one of two for the project.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) was derived from the U.S. Department of Education with the purpose of preparing our nation’s youth with the knowledge and skills to solve the problems of tomorrow. Phase One of the local project included planting vegetation on the campus at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor’s Fettig Youth Campus, as well as nature observation cameras, binoculars, and instructional materials for Club members on the science of native plants and animals.
Phase Two, targeted for 2022, will include the construction of a switchback trail leading from a future nature observation platform. The Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary’s STEM Learning Platform project augments the STEM initiative already existing at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor and complements the Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary’s mission for continued educational opportunities for the youth in Benton Harbor.
Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotarians assisted with Phase One activities by clearing specified trees at the Youth Campus, assembling planter boxes, and gathering other project materials needed for the program. The grant-provided-supplies enabled 20 youth to initially participate in vegetable plantings and nature observations, paving the way for future educational opportunities.
When complete in 2022, the “Ultimate Journey STEM” will provide an exciting opportunity for area youth to learn about their natural world with activities focused on plant and wildlife observation on site, within the urban agriculture in raised garden beds, and through digital storytelling.
With the assistance of Dr. Ann St. Amand of PhycoTech, Inc. in St. Joseph, Club members will experience immersive, hands-on learning. She says, “When children engage in the outside world around them, the environment enhances their critical thinking skills, improves knowledge retention, and reduces their stress levels,” and adds, “Research has shown that in collaboration with nature, STEM programs provide countless opportunities for discovery, creativity, and problem solving. As children take risks, try, and fail, and then try again, they gain resilience and confidence.”
Sunrise Rotarian Julie Webb says, “Our natural environment is a giant, open-ended learning laboratory and children are innate scientists who love to experience the sights, scents, sounds, and textures of the outdoors safely. By interacting with the natural environment, Club members will take information they have read about and learn by doing and experimenting with those ideas.”
For 23 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor has been a leader in youth development within the community. The mission of the Club is to inspire all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens. The Clubs focus on key core outcomes in Academic Success, Character and Leadership Development, and Healthy Lifestyles through evidence-based programs and special initiatives.
The Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary works hard to honor Rotary International’s vision statement; “Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.” If you would like to learn more about the Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary or help support its work in the community, you are encouraged to visit the Rotary website at http://www.bhsunriserotary.org.
