News release
“May the Fourth” has become a day to celebrate “Star Wars,” but last Wednesday at Smoky Hill Education Service Center it also marked an opportunity to explore exciting future career possibilities for more than 75 middle school girls.
“They Do What?! Featuring stories from inspirational women in nontraditional careers” was a new event opportunity for 6th-8th grade girls to hear from successful women in nontraditional careers and participate in activities related to some of those careers.
One of the guest speakers - Kristine Larson Davis, xEMU Spacesuit Engineer at NASA - joined the group via Zoom. She spoke about growing up on a Galva farm and the road that led her to now work on major parts of the new lunar spacesuit that will be used in the upcoming Artemis missions.
“My parents always encouraged me to look into science, technology, engineering, and math,” she said. “The kind of things like you’re doing today.”
Also joining the event with guest presentations were Judge Angela Coble, Kansas Court of Appeals; and Dr. Annie Hoekman, Associate Professor of Computer Studies and Chair of the Department of Computer Studies at Kansas Wesleyan University.
Between presentations, the students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of engineering and coding activities - including Turing Tumbles, Ozobots, a building challenge with spaghetti noodles and marshmallows, and exploring electricity by making “Bristle Bots.” They also were able to tour the construction and welding departments at Central High School in Salina.
SHESC welcomed participants from four area districts: USD 273 Beloit, USD 224 Clifton-Clyde, USD 271 Stockton, and USD 320 Wamego. Funding came from a Carl D. Perkins CTE grant for districts in the Smoky Hill Perkins Consortium.