Black STEAM Fair
Empowering Excellence thru Exploration (E3 Camp) collaborated with Hargraves Community Center, community donors and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Branch as its first Black STEAM Fair was held on November 12th. There were 25 groups/organizers that conveyed the importance of art, engineering, math, science, and technology to the attending
100 African-American youth and 70 adults/parents that participated in the STEAM Fair. Each youth was given a clipboard with a pencil and a question sheet in order to write information down, a string tote bag that included a mechanical pencil, a pen, a large eraser and an African-American Invention handout. At the conclusion of the fair, the youth’s bags were filled with informational handouts and physical items that were given out at the different tables. Each youth gained valuable information by rotating to each table - some had videos, handouts, hands-on activities to provide knowledge about all of the STEAM Careers. |
Below find the topics covered during the fair. Many Thanks for business, individuals and organizations for supporting this STEAM Event.
Artificial Intelligence - Lyn Ferrara
Biomedical Science - Haley Wamble Biotechnology - Alamance Community College Meagan Vallejoes Circuits - Lee Moavenzedeh Cyber Security - Wake Tech Cyntria Bouknight-Lons Drones - Orange County Sheriff Head Chemical Engineering - Akanke Mason-Hogan Fire Safety - Chapel Hill Fire Dept. Home Builders - Summer Careers Heather Kasey OWASA - Kelly Belcher Neuroscience - Maresa Tare/Summer Motton Radiation Therapist - Skincure Oncology Taeonna Ancrum Water Properties - Randee Haven-O’Donnell |
Automotive - Robert Ballard
Biotech Tools - Pristine Onuoha Career Pathways - Culbreth Middle School Cheryl Cureton Computer Engineering - CHHS Cisco Academy Jennifer Walker Dentistry - Goodridge Family Dentistry Tammi Thomas Engineering - CTE William Vincent Environmental Services - Eno River Associates Hillary Harrison Forensic Science - Chapel Hill Police Dept. Tamika Price Human Body - Kate Finlayson Ackland Museum - Jenny Marvel Carrboro Plumbing - Chris Kreutzer STEM Entrepreneurship - Nucleate RTP Ashley Gleaton |
Here are a few statements that were received about the Black STEAM Fair ……
- The E3 Black STEAM fair was a great success! Attendees were involved in many hands-on activities and were inspired by the information shared. It is so important to have events that service underrepresented populations in STEAM. When black students can see and work with other black students collectively in STEAM areas, they build confidence and support each other. This event allowed them to do just that!
- Thank you for hosting a GREAT event and inviting me to participate! I really enjoyed sharing some hands-on activities and information with the families that attended.
- I think it is very impactful when students can talk to other young people about why they selected their pathway &/or career.
Several of the parents I spoke with were surprised at all the offerings we have in CTE.
- This STEAM Fair was a wonderful venue to showcase a variety of program and career options for our community.
The Black STEAM fair was a great opportunity for the underrepresented youth of Chapel Hill to engage with programs that our community has to offer. We hope that students that attended this event walk away feeling empowered to engage with these programs.
- The atmosphere at the Black STEAM Fair was exciting and engaging. I spoke with students and presenters that are hoping the event will take place in 2023.
- As a presenter for the 2022 STEAM Fair, I had the opportunity to meet amazing and diverse young people~curious, inquisitive, creative ~ as well as some parents who were also willing to learn with their kids! I loved listening to them talk about their interests and dreams as I shared my passion of discovering human anatomy through movement. Packing up my charts and skeleton, I felt more alive, more hope and a deeper connection to human potential. Thank you Anissa McLendon for making your vision a reality!!
~ Kate Finlayson, Somatic Educator
- Thank you for hosting a GREAT event and inviting me to participate! I really enjoyed sharing some hands-on activities and information with the families that attended.
- I think it is very impactful when students can talk to other young people about why they selected their pathway &/or career.
Several of the parents I spoke with were surprised at all the offerings we have in CTE.
- This STEAM Fair was a wonderful venue to showcase a variety of program and career options for our community.
The Black STEAM fair was a great opportunity for the underrepresented youth of Chapel Hill to engage with programs that our community has to offer. We hope that students that attended this event walk away feeling empowered to engage with these programs.
- The atmosphere at the Black STEAM Fair was exciting and engaging. I spoke with students and presenters that are hoping the event will take place in 2023.
- As a presenter for the 2022 STEAM Fair, I had the opportunity to meet amazing and diverse young people~curious, inquisitive, creative ~ as well as some parents who were also willing to learn with their kids! I loved listening to them talk about their interests and dreams as I shared my passion of discovering human anatomy through movement. Packing up my charts and skeleton, I felt more alive, more hope and a deeper connection to human potential. Thank you Anissa McLendon for making your vision a reality!!
~ Kate Finlayson, Somatic Educator
Please enjoy pictures that captured the engagement of the excitement in Hargraves Community Center’s Gymnasium.