Energy Day Spotlights Paths To STEM Careers
DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado Energy Day shows students how their interest in STEM subjects can one day lead to an exciting, high paying careers. Sponsors range from oil & gas companies to renewable energy companies, like wind and solar. There are also engineering companies, workers unions, high education institutions, museums, and professional associations.
"Energy Day is for kids of all types. We really want to promote it early," said Emily Haggstrom, with Consumer Energy Alliance.
Research bears out that at around fourth grade, children stop being interested in science and math, because it gets hard or it's not cool. Energy Day is about showing children that staying involved in STEM can lead them to a career that will keep them challenged and fulfilled.
"I look at all these people changing the world, and creating technology that we'll see in the future, and that will literally change people's lives," Haggstrom told CBS4.
The Children's Museum will be on-hand doing demonstrations of kinetic energy for the four- and five-year-olds. The Museum of Nature & Science will be hosting rocket building and launching competitions, and robotics teams from 30 high schools will be holding a robotics tournament.
"Energy Day is really interactive. There are a lot of exhibits and demonstrations that really give kids hands-on experience because the whole idea of Energy Day is for it to be fun," Haggstrom explained.
In addition to the interactive exhibitions by dozens of Colorado companies and organizations, there will be a certified robotics competition on an official FIRST Robotics field. It's an off season match, but will give the 30-teams a chance to practice their robotics skills.
"The Kendrick Castillo Memorial Tournament was named after the young man who helped is classmates and put his life on the line. But, these were his classmates. The robotics tournament was something that really excited him and brought him joy," Haggstrom said.
LINK: Energy Day
Energy Day is Saturday, September 28th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at East High School.
