STEM students will use the simulation lab at the STEM Experience.
Dean Brown | The Lima News
LIMA — The STEM Experience is coming to Lima. A STEM camp for kids grade four and up will be held July 23rd and August 6th at two sites: Heir Force Community School and The Mercy Health-St. Rita’s Graduate Medical Education Center.
Dr. J.J. Sreenan, Director of Graduate Medical Education at Mercy Health St. Rita’s, is coordinating the medical experiences for the kids. “One of our goals when we built this facility was not only to educate residents and medical students but also open this facility to encourage young children and high school students to go into healthcare fields and learn what those healthcare fields are. We’re going to be using our brand new simulation center. We’re going to introduce the students to different aspects of healthcare within the same lab. We’re going to be using our high fidelity mannequin, doing some different types of scenarios and maybe teaching them a little CPR.”
Alex Bandar, who operates the Idea Foundry in Columbus, Ohio, will offer other technologies for kids to experience. “The way to inspire young people relies on exposure and access to interesting tools like virtual reality labs, rooms with a computer designed for either engineering or for artistic purposes.”
Bandar runs the Idea Factory which is a makerspace in Columbus, Ohio. Bandar defines what a makerspace is: “A makerspace islike a workout gym but instead of workout equipment, we have tools and we teach people how to use those tools and let them use them for whatever they like.”
At Heir Force Community School the camp will be teaching students teaching how to design in 3-D using virtual reality. Also they will be working with students to build and race drones that have cameras on them which will permit students to see where they are flying their drones.
Sreenan summarizes the camp experience, “Anything we can do to get them engaged in the hands-on, that’s where our goal is.”
Parents may register their students by calling 419-228-9211 or emailing [email protected].
The STEM summer camp is presented by the City of Lima, The Central District Makerspace, Mercy Health, Dr. Bander – founder of Idea Foundry of Columbus, and Heir Force Community School. Sponsors include Old Barn Restaurant and Grill, Western Sizzlin, and Ohio Logistics Warehousing & Transportation.
