Kids of all ages flocked to the Nutter Center in Fairborn on Sunday for the Big Hoopla STEM Challenge, an event held annually leading up to the NCAA First Four games in Dayton.<\/p>\n
The free event for students in kindergarten through eighth grade blends basketball with STEM education through hands-on activities, demonstrations and exhibits presented by regional and national partners, organizers said Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Big Hoopla STEM Challenge also honors military service members and veterans by providing thousands of free tickets to First Four games, while engaging youth in basketball and STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, according to Terry Slaybaugh, volunteer chair of the Big Hoopla.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a really cool event because we\u2019re combining basketball with STEM, and I think we\u2019ve all recognized you have to get kids involved in science and math early on,\u201d Slaybaugh said, noting that 12 winners of the Hot Shot Finals challenge will receive a full in-state tuition to Wright State University. \u201cWe see this as a way to get kids excited about math and science.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rev. Arthur Williams Jr. brought his three kids to Sunday\u2019s event. Williams stressed the importance of early exposure to STEM for better student test scores and opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m intentional with my kids when it comes to making sure they get exposed to things like this from an early age,\u201d said Williams, a teacher within the Dayton Public Schools district. \u201cI\u2019m also thankful for the community we have which offers free events like this to help make that exposure possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
William said he is part of a project that will be presented to the National Conference on Science Education next month, an effort that focuses on supporting sixth-grade student success.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m focusing on the pivotal moment of sixth grade when some parents are taking the hands off as they go into middle school; I feel that\u2019s the time there needs to be more hands on,\u201d Williams said. \u201cWe need to be intentional with this generation, so that they have the resources and help to get to that next level, and to be successful in STEM-related fields.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quinn Sanders attended the Big Hoopla STEM Challenge with her grandmother Sally Benner.<\/p>\n
Quinn is 11 years old and loves all things Raiders basketball, noting that her grandfather works as a clock operator for home games, all of which she attends.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy favorite player is Solomon Callaghan because he\u2019s always smiling and having fun when he plays,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Quinn is new to the Big Hoopla STEM Challenge but said she enjoys STEM subjects.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy favorite is probably engineering, and I like STEM where you get to work together,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Read the article at daytondailynews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kids of all ages flocked to the Nutter Center in Fairborn on Sunday for the Big Hoopla STEM Challenge, an event held annually leading up to the NCAA First Four games in Dayton. The free event for students in kindergarten … Continue reading