Kids Career Day (KCD), hosted by the College of Engineering and Polymer Science (CEPS), celebrated 25 years of impact on STEM education on March 1, at The University of Akron's Jean Hower Taber Student Union. With more than 250 attendees, the event was filled with excitement, celebration and a spirit of discovery and learning for young participants.
“Kids Career Day isn’t just an event — it’s a catalyst for future generations to explore STEM disciplines. I am grateful to all the supporters of KCD over the years. This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without their dedication and contributions to STEM education,” shared Dr. Neete Saha, who leads the event.
This year’s Kids Career Day facilitators and industry partners included:
- Keynote Speaker: Dr. Nazario, NASA Glenn Research Center
- Scribble Bots: K2M Design
- Build Your Own Electric Toy: FirstEnergy Corp.
- Science of Making Ice Cream: Nestlé
- Light Up Learning: Soldering & Avionics with NASA Robotics: NASA Robotics, The University of Akron
- Coding: Dr. Elgarroussi, Department of Computer Science, The University of Akron
- Examining Dental Morphology: Dr. Connelly, Department of Anthropology, The University of Akron
- Paper Tower Challenge: BWX Technologies, Inc.
- Monopolar Motor Experiment: Ms. Roberts (Retired from Cosmo Corporation)
- Fixing Broken Bones: Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Akron
- Hydroelectric Power: Halle’s Engineering & Design
- Identifying Electrical Conductor and Insulator: Dr. Haque, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Akron
WHAT PARENTS AND GUARDIANS HAD TO SAY
“My daughter Nora, age 8, had a blast at Kids Career Day. From a parent's perspective, it was refreshing to see that curiosity in our kids. We also enjoyed the parent tour of the Polymer building. From the snacks, to our very friendly volunteer Zachary, to the fun goody bag and everything in between, we absolutely plan to sign up in the future! Thank you so much.” — Kenzie Szczepaniak
“My children had a fantastic time. I also want to highlight the kindness of the volunteers. One of my children has some sensitivity to environments, and your team did an amazing job comforting him! My son spent the day coding after the experience.” — Karen Konrad
“Mallory and Natalie LOVED this experience and can't wait until next year's Career Day. Mallory seems especially geared for a career in engineering, and she really enjoyed learning about the different areas of an engineering career.” — Melanie Seager
“My daughter Brooklyn had a wonderful time! Being a teacher and a Girl Scout leader myself, I really appreciate the time and effort that goes into planning an event like this. I was very impressed with everything, from the breakout sessions to the breakfast and snacks. You really thought of everything. I hope to be included again next year, as we really enjoyed the day. Brooklyn couldn't wait to come home, tell her dad and call her grandparents to share all about it. Thank you for such an exciting day!” — Aimee Gearhart
WHAT STEM FACILITATORS HAD TO SAY
“Participating in Kids Career Day by helping 1st and 2nd graders make ice cream was an incredibly rewarding experience. Watching their faces light up with joy as they mixed ingredients and eagerly anticipated the final product was truly heartwarming.
The excitement in the room was contagious, and it was inspiring to see how a simple activity like making ice cream could spark their curiosity and creativity. I was amazed by their enthusiasm and willingness to learn, which reminded me of the importance of engaging with our youth in fun and educational ways.
I hope others will get involved in this event in future years as well as in similar initiatives. Not only do we have the opportunity to share our skills and knowledge, but we also create lasting memories and inspire the next generation. Together, we can make a positive impact in their lives and show them that learning can be both fun and delicious!” — Erica Clerc, Nestlé
“Kids Career Day was an incredible experience! Seeing young minds engage with coding and problem-solving was truly inspiring. Some kids went beyond the given challenge, adding advanced features to their game implementation, while others were already so familiar with Scratch, which was great to see. It was amazing to witness their creativity and enthusiasm for STEM. I was so happy to be part of this event and introduce them to hands-on coding. Thank you for organizing such a meaningful experience!” — Dr. Karima Elgarroussi, assistant professor of instruction, computer science
“During my time at UA and on the NASA Robotics Design Team, one of the events I always look forward to is Kids Career Day because these students are excited to learn. Every year, we bring something slightly different for the kids to do, and this time, I watched as they learned to solder and saw their printed circuit boards come to life. Their eyes lit up alongside the LEDs they installed. Their joy and love for learning help keep the spark alive in me and remind me why I chose to become an engineer.” — Faith Stewart, NASA Robotics
Please see below for additional pictures from the Kids Career Day event!
Story by Dr. Neete Saha.
Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.