Campus News

Approximately 100 RPS 205 middle school students engaged in interactive workshops that included building paper rockets, and more with the assistance of RU students.

ROCKFORD, Ill. — Rockford University hosted about 60 students from Lincoln and Marshall Middle Schools in Rockford on Thursday, April 6, for its Second Annual STEM Day. 

During the event, middle school students engaged in multiple interactive workshops about electricity, probability, building a paper rocket, oxidation, and more in the Starr Science Center, 5050 E. State St, Rockford, IL. 61108. Rockford University students, including some from the Education Department, were able to get hands-on experience leading the workshops with the assistance of RU professors in STEM. 

 Workshops included:

“Fun with and Learning about Electricity”

“Stimulation in Probability – How many chocolate chips are there in a cookie?”

“Exploring an Unseen World”

“Daphnia Magna and the Effect of Energy Drinks on their Heart Rates”

“Signs of Spring”

“Oxidation – Light, Heat, and Carrots!”

“Building a Paper Rocket”

“Marker Magic!”

Students took a lunch break and toured the campus before resuming their afternoon workshops. 

“We had our education and math, physics, biology and chemistry students, who aspire to work as teachers one day,” said Rockford University Interim Dean of the College of Science, Math, and Nursing Professor of Mathematics Filiz Dik.

“This will provide an opportunity for them to interact with middle school students and practice their teaching.

“Our goal is that this would be an opportunity for us to connect with the community through middle school students and sparked their interest in STEM activities and STEM fields,” she said.

Last year, STEM Day started with just Lincoln Middle School, but expanded to Marshall Middle School as well. 

Find photos from today here!