Leaders and advocates of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) take learning beyond just the academics offered in the classroom. Through TryEngineering, IEEE Volunteers are able to make STEM outreach projects a reality that reach school-aged children around the world. TryEngineering empowers educators and supports volunteers by providing STEM resources including peer-reviewed lesson plans at no cost. The IEEE Pre-University STEM Grant Program offers the opportunity for financial support to start, sustain, or scale selected STEM outreach projects in local communities. In 2024, 53 programs were selected as STEM grant recipients.
One of the selected projects was WIE Impact. This program launched a series of transformative workshops and events to empower young minds and foster a passion for STEM. Through diverse initiatives, the program engaged a total of 160 students, 32 volunteers, and 7 teachers. These workshops educated and inspired, leaving a lasting legacy and reinforcing its dedication to fostering a brighter, more inclusive future.
- Robotics Explorers Workshop: Held at Ibn Khaldoun Primary School in Zaghouan, this workshop introduced young students to robotics through hands-on activities. They built their first Arduino projects, including a system to control a light using a switch and another to operate a servomotor. These projects ignited their creativity and strengthened their problem-solving skills, leaving a lasting impact on their interest in technology.
- Junior Astronauts: Held at the Tunis Science City, this event offered students an unforgettable experience exploring celestial bodies and space. Exploring exhibits, watching an educational documentary about meteors, and participating in an interactive workshop on the Solar System made the session both educational and memorable.
- Cyber Guardians Workshop: Held at the Youth Center in El Kram, this workshop introduced children to the essentials of cybersecurity, highlighting the risks they face online. Participants learned practical skills such as creating strong passwords, recognizing suspicious links, and protecting personal information.
- First-Aid and Sustainability Day: Held across three primary schools, this event included comprehensive first-aid training led by Tunisian Red Crescent (TRC) experts. Students learned essential life-saving techniques, equipping them with valuable skills for emergency situations.
- Code Ignite Workshop: Held at Junior High School Mostafa Khaznadar in Denden, this session introduced students to coding using Scratch. They explored programming concepts by creating animations and working on mini-projects, sparking their curiosity. Additionally, they learned to use Canva for creating presentations, editing images, and exploring video editing, unlocking new ways to express their ideas and creativity.
- Marathon for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: Held in Tunis Centre Ville, the program participated in a marathon and hosted a stand to promote IEEE WIE’s mission of empowering women in STEM. The team engaged with attendees and children through activities highlighting the importance of eliminating violence against women.
After the program, TryEngineering was able to conduct an interview with the program’s leaders:
What inspired you to create your program and get involved with STEM outreach at the pre-university level?
We were inspired by our work for the Tunisian SYP Star Program competition. We visited a rural school to teach children about engineering and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). We were deeply affected by their situation and their genuine enthusiasm for engineering, so we wanted to reach more kids and have a genuine impact on them.
What goals were met, and how did you measure the program’s impact?
We were able to reach over 150 kids in the span of this program. At the start of each session, on average, 20% of the students could see themselves as future engineers. After the sessions, this number increased to 82%.
WIE Impact was a recipient of the 2024 IEEE Pre-University STEM Grant Program, and funded by the IEEE Signal Processing Society (SPS). To learn more about TryEngineering and IEEE Signal Processing Society’s partnership, be sure to visit the SPS Collection Page.