Studying STEM Through Exploring

A group of middle schoolers in Tulsa, Okla., are getting a unique opportunity through the BSA’s Exploring program.

The Exploring club based out of San Miguel Catholic Middle School is made up of 75 students who are working with Tulsa’s Fab Lab, a facility that gives members of the community access to high-tech tools, equipment and resources. The boys and girls — yes, Exploring is a co-ed program — are learning about science, technology, engineering and mathematics — STEM — with state-of-the-art equipment and guidance from the Fab Lab’s expert technicians.

STEM is part of an initiative the Boy Scouts of America has taken on to encourage the natural curiosity of youth and their sense of wonder about the fields of science.

A researcher at the University of Oklahoma has been monitoring the progress of the Explorers to see how their hands-on experience affects their confidence, readiness for high school and ultimate career choice.