College of Education Club Students Spark Curiosity and Learning with STEM Activities for Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Idaho 

The College of Education Office of Field Experience hosted a STEM Day with the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Idaho at Syringa Elementary School in Pocatello recently. Learners were introduced to engineering concepts while club members  enjoyed fun, hands-on activities. This event helped fulfill one of the Office of Field Experience’s major initiatives: to provide service in the community in meaningful ways and connect Idaho State University with the larger community and school district. 

The event proved to be beneficial for Pocatello learners and ISU students alike. “I got to remember … how much I love working with kids and how excited they get when they learn something new,” said McKenzie Leckie, a member of the College of Education Club. “The excitement in their faces was undeniable.” 

Members of the ISU club prepared themselves for this event by taking home the STEM activities and mastering them. They then presented them to the other club members and Interim Dean Esther Ntuli, who acted as the children might.

“Before we could teach the kids how to do any of the activities, we needed to teach ourselves,” said Emily Willoughby, another member of the College of Education Club. “We talked about what activities we did, what problems we ran into, and what questions we could ask the kids based on that activity.”

This kind of community outreach is at the heart of the College of Education Club. Not only does it help prepare them to be teachers in practical ways, but it helps them connect with the community on a deeper, more personal level.

“One of the kids kept having me come back because he wanted to show off the helicopter toothbrush he was making,” said Silas Smith, president of the College of Education Club. “It was very sweet and heartwarming, and showed how much kids just want to be seen and given quality time and attention. As future educators, it really should spark this inner desire to invest more, because these kids want to be invested in.”

The College of Education Club was organized to provide leadership, networking and community opportunities to students who are interested in becoming future educators. Several members of the club are pursuing degrees outside of the College of Education. Some of them attended this event and were able to tie it back to their studies in meaningful ways. “The event made me remember my own childhood curiosity,” said Md Ashrafussaman, an ISU student studying engineering and also a member of the College of Education Club.

“Even though I’m not studying education, this experience showed me how rewarding it is to work with kids–and how much they can teach us if we stay open to learning from them. I would love to participate in more outreach events like this in the future.”

The Office of Field Experience and the College of Education Club have plans to host more events like this one, ensuring that they are connected to the community and making a difference in the lives of learners all across Pocatello.

“We are so excited to do this again and keep doing it,” Smith said. “Both club members and the kids involved were overjoyed with the experience and want to keep doing it. I recall one kid even approaching me, saying, ‘Can you come back every month?’ So the want is there, and we hope we fulfill that for them.”