Youth Enjoys STEM Activities at Northwest Indiana Event

Approximately 200 young members from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana took part in a vibrant STEM event on Monday. Taking place at Urschel Pavilion and Central Park Plaza in Valparaiso, the gathering featured interactive and educational activities showcasing science, technology, engineering, and math.

Leonard, a 17-year-old participant, expressed his excitement as he posed for photographs at the Best Buy booth, stating, “I felt like I was on top of the world.” He engages with online audiences through play-along videos on YouTube, maintaining an hour-long video from six months prior.

A young participant named Lincoln, aged 12, experimented with a handheld magnification device, adjusting the zoom to achieve clear images, explaining, “You have to zoom in the perfect amount to get it to resolve.”

Seven-year-old Austin experienced astronaut-style challenges, using large gloves to handle screws and expressing, “The gloves are super big and my hand is small.” Boeing employee Jean-Michel Sicaud guided the children through simulations requiring them to push pipe cleaners through colander holes and thread nuts onto bolts. Though many felt inspired to pursue astronaut careers, Austin wasn’t among them.

Laylah, age 10, and Leniyah, age 11, showed enthusiasm for Air Toobz, a setup utilizing compressed air to propel balls through plastic tubes. Laylah commented, “I would tell my mom to buy these,” while Leniyah appreciated the control over air pressure and the resulting increase in power.

The principle of how these balls float on air mirrors industrial uses, such as air hockey tables, hovercrafts, and testing objects’ aerodynamics in wind tunnels.

Marcus Steele, a former Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year and current Family and Youth Service Coordinator for Gary, shared his journey from club member to staff. Steele observed the event’s annual growth, stating, “It just seems like it gets bigger and bigger every year.”

President Mike Jessen emphasized the unique value of gathering all clubs from Lake and Porter counties, remarking, “The more we do that, the better.” Jessen noted the extensive list of summer activities available to kids, including field trips to the zoo and museums.

Participants like Jake Klotz, reminiscing about his earlier days at the Valparaiso Boys & Girls Club now transformed into the Grand Gardner Hotel, recalled seeing the club’s transition during construction.

Denise Koebcke, once a teacher to Klotz and now director of philanthropy for the Boys & Girls Club organization, played an integral role at the event.

Young professionals from PALS, including Karla Conrad, taught the attendees about centrifugal force using cardboard, ropes, and glasses of water to demonstrate circular motion akin to satellites and planets.

Doug Ross contributes as a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.