Driving Your Kids to STEAM, WordCamp and EYH
by William Jackson
Expanding Your Horizons – STEM Workshop for
elementary and middle school girls to begin the
vision for future careers. Girls are beginning to
see themselves as leaders and access to careers
they thought only available to men.
WordCamp conferences have a similar influence
are creating a foundation for learning and engagement.
The growing opportunities to build skill-sets in youth,
teens and young adults especially girls to build a
foundation for their futures.
Using STEAM as a foundation for learning and expanding
the learning to Web Development. Teachers like William
Jackson and Aida Correa are showing a new way to
branch-out in discovery, creativity and innovation
with hands-on learning.
Providing events that girls are celebrated, elevated
and cultivated as the leaders their communities need
to show the value of learning and applying that knowledge
to their lives.
Jacksonville is not a growing hub of technology and
innovation it IS a dynamic community for innovative and
transformative changes in STEAM, STEM and STREAM.
Schools are focusing on new ways to teach students that
have no fear of technology and making decisions about
where their learning takes them.
The push is on to integrate hands-on learning that
focuses on learning that is relevant and of real world
importance so youth, teens and young adults especially
of color see the value of learning in these areas. .
To teach youth, teens and young adults the necessary
skills to be employable, retainable and promotable to
leadership positions because representation does matter.
Children of color need to see professionals of color in
leadership careers not just sports or entertainment.
They will see professionals at the EYH conference to
be held at the University of North Florida
Today youth should be actively engaged and motivated
to learn as much as they can and apply that knowledge
to be influencers. This change can happen when the
traditional instructional models change from educators
being lectures to adapting their instruction to be enablers,
influencers and inspires to facilitate learning as the
students are tasked with solving challenges that require
higher order and critical thinking.
The influences of STEAM can be seen in television
programs that cater to children, youth and kids. From
Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and other programs
that are based on the foundations of skills, to the
involvement in games like HALO, Fortnight and Minecraft.
Science Technology Engineering Arts Math / Music /
Mechanics are providing new learning adventures for
children of color and culture that are behind in engagement
to their white counterparts that are involved and excelling
participating in activities in school and with clubs.
Events like WordCamp Jacksonville, Expanding Your Horizons
STEM Workshop held at University of North Florida and even
with Edward Waters College and the Black Male Explorers
Program headed by the new Director, Victor Christin, Jr..
There are opportunities growing for youth, teens and young
adults to be engaged: The National Council of Negro Women
and their coming programs with Coding lead by Monica Timmons
and the 100 Black Men of Jacksonville with dynamic programs
as well across Jacksonville to promote coding, robotics and tech.
Parents “drive your kids to STEAM” is not just a moment, nor
is it a movement, but a reality to prepare youth, teens and
young adults for careers not even created yet. Parents must
prepare their children now to be educated, employable,
sustainable and scalable to flow with the changing directions
happening with technology, creativity, innovation and web
development.
Parents get your children involved early so they can develop
excitement to learn and be life-long learners. Expose them to
networking skills and business skills so they can grow into
entrepreneurs and be able to talk the talk of business and walk
the walk of business owners.
The future is here with technology, it is not in the future,
but present. Prepare children to employable, scalable leaders
and influencers from attending conferences, workshops and
seminars.
The opportunities are there, parents need to make the choices
to sacrifice the time and the energy.
WordCamp Jacksonville 2019 – https://2019.jacksonville.wordcamp.org/
EYH – Empowering Your Horizons 2019 – https://www.eyhn.org/
National Council of Negro Women 2019 – https://jaxncnw.wordpress.com/
100 Black Men of Jacksonville 2019 – https://100blackmenjax.org/
Black Male Explorers 2019 – https://www.ewc.edu/black-male-explorers/