Middle and high school students get hands-on STEM learning at ISU

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) - Hundreds of middle and high school students gathered at Idaho State University for its annual Bengal STEM Day on Thursday. The event is designed to inspire these students to be interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.


ISU faculty, students and local STEM professionals hosted several activities, demonstrations and hands-on workshops.

“I think it's so important for this kind of event to happen,” Idaho National Laboratory’s K-12 STEM Education Coordinator Sunshine Shepherd said. “So these students get exposure to STEM and the opportunities that are there for them, even starting at a young age.”

The middle and high school students got to make mini-catapults, build and test popsicle stick bridges try to make eggs survive being launch at a wall at more than 70 miles an hour.

“To have folks actually apply science, do it instead of just reading about it—that makes all the difference in education,” ISU Physics Professor Steve Shropshire said. “And frankly, giving them an interesting, engaging and fun activity involving science is actually a great enrichment.”

This event has been held annually for years, but this is only the second time it’s been held since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Information about Idaho State University’s science and engineering programs can be found here.