Iowa National Guard Kicks Off New STEM Day Program
High school students visited Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, for the Iowa National Guard’s inaugural STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Day event held on Sept. 20, 2017. About 40 students spent the day with Soldiers and Airmen learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics applications in the military.
Harlan Community High School and Davis County Community High School – the first two schools to participate in what the Iowa National Guard hopes will be a quarterly program – both invited students in their STEM or career technical programs to attend the program.
LTC Dan Maeder, superintendent of the Davis County Community School District in Bloomfield and the battalion commander of the Iowa Army National Guard’s 224th Brigade Engineer Battalion in Cedar Rapids, said STEM Day was a chance for him to make a connection between his civilian life and military service.
“I’d be happy to bring my perspective as a school superintendent and a Guard Soldier to help make this a successful program for the Guard and our schools as well,” LTC Maeder said.
Col Justin Wagner, superintendent of the Harlan Community School District in Harlan and the Iowa National Guard’s vice chief of the joint staff, was in a similar position to help get the first event off the ground.
During STEM Day, students toured the Iowa National Guard’s state-of-the-art Sustainment Training Center at Camp Dodge, where they learned about plasma cutting, metallurgy and calculating amperage. They also visited the Black Hawk Aircrew Trainer, a flight simulator that uses real UH-60M Black Hawk controls and technology to re-create challenges faced by helicopter pilots.
In addition, they visited the Medical Simulation Training Center, where combat medics are assessed on their ability to handle casualties by treating technologically sophisticated mannequins that breathe, bleed and react to touch.
“One of the most important things we can do is find applications for what kids learn every day in school,” Col Wagner said. “This STEM Day here is just one example of what we try to engage our kids in: partnerships that really try to take what the kids are learning in the classroom and apply it to real-world scenarios.”
Students were also able to watch helicopter crews practice sling load maneuvers on actual Black Hawks, see an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) demonstration, and test their skills in satellite imagery.
“The Army National Guard’s STEM initiative is about creating relevance,” Col Wagner explained. “Relevance from the classroom to the real world. It’s helping students understand that the things they are learning in their classrooms today are the applications they will need to make a difference in their communities tomorrow.”
In the past year, the Iowa National Guard has put an emphasis on STEM outreach. MG Timothy Orr, the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, has joined the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.
“MG Orr recognized how the Iowa National Guard could contribute to this state-wide effort and showcase how STEM is part of almost every career field in the Air and Army National Guard,” said LTC Maeder. “I’m excited about it. We are full of opportunities for people who may need some assistance in getting to where they want to go in their life.”
As for the students, STEM Day was a big hit and enlightened them about the numerous STEM-related opportunities in the military. Maggie Koke, a senior at Harlan Community High School, said she was surprised to learn how much STEM plays a role in the military’s day-to-day operations.
“I definitely learned a lot more than I’ve ever known, and I definitely think it will be a great opportunity for other kids,” Koke said.
Koke said watching the helicopter maneuvers was cool. But her favorite STEM Day activities were the Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer (a simulator used to re-create the experience of a vehicle rollover) and the Engagement Skills Trainer (a simulator, similar to a video game, used for weapons training).
“I definitely understand more of what the [military] does with all the STEM applications,” Koke said. “I knew it was a lot of STEM, but I didn’t realize the extent of what they were using the technology [for].”
With the first STEM Day on the books, the Iowa National Guard hopes to continue the program several more times throughout the school year by hosting schools and students from around the State.
“The National Guard is pursuing this effort to help young people visualize careers and opportunities available all across this great State,” said LTC Maeder. “Emphasis in STEM education through exposure to career opportunities like those found in the Iowa National Guard help students and [potential] service members prepare themselves for the future.”
On last Oct. 2, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and the Iowa National Guard held a news conference at Camp Dodge to discuss the state of STEM in Iowa. According to federal statistics, Iowa employers are having trouble filling jobs that require education in science, technology, engineering and math.
Through its STEM Day program, the Iowa National Guard hopes to raise student interest in those career fields. Gov. Reynolds said STEM education can provide a path for young citizens to a career that offers a good paycheck while boosting the State’s economy.
“It is really an important part of our overall workforce strategy in Iowa,” she said, caiting projections that indicate there will be significant growth of STEM jobs in Iowa. “This is absolutely how we are going to stay innovative and competitive not only as a State, but as a country. And that really represents unlimited opportunities for young people and unlimited opportunities for them to stay here in Iowa.”
By Contributing Writer SSG Christie Smith
