Brain Bags & Beyond: STEAM Education in the Southeast
Community is at the heart of all we do, and part of our mission includes introducing young minds to the wonders of STEAM education and careers. Our employees have been rolling up their sleeves and making a difference in their communities. Join us as we share the highlights of our most recent outreach adventures, where science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics combine to ignite curiosity and empower youth.
Pedaling for Pollution Solutions: iMAGINE Upstate Festival
When April hits and the sun is shining, you know it’s festival season in the south! Bolton & Menk and our community partner Friends of the Reedy River hosted a booth at the iMAGINE Upstate STEAM Education Festival in Greenville, South Carolina. Attendees worked up a sweat riding the seed bike while others watched the water run off simulation. Kids’ eyes grew wide as the water “disappeared” into the grass and their minds began processing what happened. With their own pair of Bolton & Menk gloves in hand, kids were eager to help pick up trash after seeing how pollution disrupts our water system.
“iMAGINE Upstate was another fantastic example of firms and organizations investing in the youth of our community! Bolton & Menk has developed children’s books that feature our professionals and the impactful work we do for our clients. Partnering with Friends of the Reedy River provided an amazing opportunity to leverage creativity and establish an interactive station. Children were so excited to learn about how they can help keep our rivers clean and pedal the bicycle to participate,” said Brandy Erwin, southeast regional marketing & business development coordinator.
STEAM Education Kits: Children’s Museum of the Upstate
Bolton & Menk Greenville volunteers also stuffed hundreds of STEAM kits as an outreach opportunity with the Children’s Museum of the Upstate. The themed “brain bags” came from a generous grant the museum received to provide 10,000 kits to the community. The goal was to expose kids to engineering, architecture, and other STEAM careers to consider as they grow up.
“As a mother, I understand first-hand how crucial it is for children to receive support and encouragement in these important subjects, and it was heartening to contribute to a project that empowers young minds and fosters a love for learning,” said Melissa Morales, landscaper designer.
Enviroscape and More at Charlotte Kids Fest
Bolton & Menk was a proud sponsor of Charlotte Kids Fest, a non-profit event featuring various play zones focused on STEAM education, including an enviroscape to help students understand how to handle waste while keeping our water clean. “I was blown away by the level of excitement and engagement from kids of all ages who had fun with our enviroscape model and water tasting station. Second graders were excited to share their recent classroom experiences learning about pollution, fourth graders shared their knowledge about waterways, and kids loved playing with the toy boats, cars, and buildings on the enviroscape,” shared Kaylyn Forte, water resources project manager.
With more than 7,000 attendees, kids stayed busy demonstrating fertilizer, oil, and other pollutants moving toward water sources on the enviroscape. “One of my favorite memories was seeing how they enjoyed putting their thinking caps on to be “engineers for the day” by making the water cleaner for kids who were next in line,” said Kaylyn. Jaqi Feicht, administrative assistant, also read Bolton & Menk’s children’s books during the hourly reading times.
Curriculum Collaboration for STEAM Education
Our Greenville team had a unique opportunity to work with A.J. Whittenberg Elementary School to help develop their summer engineering camp curriculum. The team engaged partners from ReWa, Friends of the Reedy River, and Greenville Water to fill a summer series based on water. “Working with the kiddos at A.J. Whittenberg has surprised and inspired me. Their curiosity and desire to learn gives me hope for the future of STEAM professions,” said Grace Bowar, transportation planning intern.
Students started camp with Winn and Doug, giving them the foundation of the water cycle. Next, we engaged students in activities: stormwater runoff demonstration, walking tour to showcase stormwater education, learning about your water footprint, a field trip to a water treatment plant, learning how to do water quality testing, and much more. To close it out, our volunteers were invited to the student’s final showcase where they created poetry and art projects highlighting what they had learned throughout camp.
Inspiring a New Generation of Planners
Our Southeast volunteers are also making a difference in classrooms. “I wanted to introduce them to the world of urban planning. It was so inspiring to see such creativity and enthusiasm from these 24 talented students,” said Duncan Watts, planner, after doing a classroom demonstration for a second-grade class at Palisades Park Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The classroom experience started by reading Parker the Planner: A City Planning Story and then the class worked together to create their very own community – Pearsonville. Pearsonville was designed to be an imaginative, walkable city featuring bike lanes, community gardens, an underwater zoo, a planetarium, a roller-skating rink, restaurants, and plenty of park space! Duncan said it best, “It showcased their potential as future urban planners!”
At Bolton & Menk, we encourage employees to become involved in their communities, lending their voluntary support to programs that positively impact the quality of life within the communities where we live, work, and play. Our goal is to create community engagement opportunities that are meaningful, purposeful, and help those in need, while enriching and inspiring the lives of our employees. After all, we believe all people should live in safe, sustainable, and beautiful communities and we’re proud to do what we can to make that happen.
Learn more about how our employees get involved in their communities with our Real Outreach initiatives!
