KHS students take part in STEMposium

Not many students know what career path they wish to follow. Last month in Oberwesel, Germany, nine students from Kaiserslautern High School joined nearly 100 students from across the Department of Defense Education Activity at an event called STEMposium.

STEMposium is a scenario-based experience focusing on the four STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These are the top four future jobs of my generation. Here, DODEA students joined together in small groups of six to accomplish one task: help solve a potential real-world problem.

Over the years, STEMposium has posed many scenarios to students ranging from extreme floods, growing forest fires and earthquakes. This year’s scenario was a comet strike in a highly populated area. The collision site was near Lake Constance in Germany near the Swiss border. The impact of the comet caused as much damage as would a 500-pound bomb. In the scenario, the comet caused multiple forest fires, and many people died. Each group of students had six types of engineering jobs: civil/structure, green technology, biological, environmental, robotics and computer simulations. All six of these jobs were vital in the process of figuring out the given problem.

Like in real-world situations, it took several days at the STEMposium for all the facts to come in. Using the information we were provided, we worked in our groups, exchanging information to determine how we could mitigate the damage of the comet’s impact. We collected samples via robots we built with Lego’s, designed and built bridges, and found ways to use alternate energy sources, provided by the green tech engineers. By the week’s end, all the teams accomplished their mission and helped to save the world.

It was a tearful departure on the last day; all the students had come together and created friendships throughout the week.  This opportunity provided life-long lessons. I recommend future DODEA students take part in this incredible opportunity.

The STEMposium gives students a chance to figure out what it is they want to do beyond high school. The STEMposium is a place for a student to step up to the challenge, step out of their comfort zone and take charge, and see what the world has to offer. The STEMposium is one of the best things you can do in high school. I would like to thank the Kaiserslautern Landstuhl Spouses Association, Ramstein Enlisted Spouses’ Association, KHS PTSO, Ramstein Officers’ Spouses Club and our parents for supporting us during the week.