Renko Heather Manchester, ThinkSTEM site coordinator, explains what program participants are learning to county commissioner Mark Smith and ThinkSTEM advisory board member Doug Ulkins

 Renko Heather Manchester, ThinkSTEM site coordinator, explains what program participants are learning to county commissioner Mark Smith and ThinkSTEM advisory board member Doug Ulkins

The ThinkSTEM after-school train in Ulster expected a visit Thursday from Bradford County leader and state deputy controller candidate commemorate Smith.

During his stay, Smith met train participants and body and toured the building to comprehend the projects the heart prepare students are at present working on in the fields of science, tools, engineering and mathematics.

Smith plus sat in on the program's day after day similarity seminar, anywhere facilitators and students collect by the side of the inauguration of the three-hour train to discuss their procedure in support of the day's session.

Smith thought he was impressed with the train, which is in its succeeding time by the side of the earlier Sheshequin-Ulster Elementary School, and enjoyed seminar students and trial almost their projects.

The visit helped Smith to progress a feel in support of the programs benefiting students in rural education, an area he'll need to be familiar with if he is voted to the deputy controller position, thought Doug Ulkins, ThinkSTEM advisory board limb.

The visit allowable Smith to "see could you repeat that? A little of our needs are," Ulkins thought.

The train, funded by a $2 million 21st Century Community Learning Center grant and operated by BLaST Intermediate Unit 17, provides after-school education in STEM fields to almost 120 heart prepare students in the Sayre, Athens, Towanda and Northeast Bradford prepare districts.

The non-traditional train focuses on difficult solving and teamwork, and participants are self-directed and encouraged to think using a variety of perspectives, thought position coordinator Heather Manchester.

The train plus prepares students in support of in-demand jobs in STEM fields, Ulkins thought.

This time, students allow begun product on a variety of projects. Project topics include balloon-propelled vehicles, three-dimensional architecture, applications in support of cell phones and drug, digital animation and city planning.

The train fosters not simply academic growth, but social growth as well, Manchester thought. Students become skilled at to better communicate, clutch crowd discussions in a reverential ambiance and assist single any more with their projects, she thought.

Ultimately, Ulkins thought train officials seek to friendly a draw from top to toe prepare focusing on STEM education in support of students from area prepare districts.