FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino High School students were recently featured in a professional video centering on what they are doing to expand access to STEM, STEAM, and the FIRST program in rural communities in northern Arizona. The video debuted at the FIRST Inspire Gala in Miami, Florida, in December.
Junior Elena Klopfenstein and senior Alicia Clouser, both Navajo Nation tribal members and CocoNuts FIRST Robotics Team members, visited several schools on the Navajo Nation over the last year, spreading the benefits of STEAM and building robots.
STEM and STEAM appear to be the same, but there are slight differences, the latter including arts. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while STEAM includes all those subjects plus arts. The difference also includes the way scientific concepts are approached.
STEM focuses on a hard scientific approach, while STEAM includes an approach that uses hard and soft skills. According to FIRST, they are the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit helping young people discover a passion for STEM and develop both self-confidence and valuable, real-world skills that can open pathways to all types of career choices and outcomes.
The program provides a progressive series of mentor-guided, team-based robotics challenges for students ages 4-18, designed to ignite curiosity and encourage exploration. A diverse community of adult coaches, mentors, educators, volunteers, sponsors, and alumni help guide, inspire, and support students as they learn.
The FIRST program believes STEM is for everyone everywhere, but sometimes, a lack of access to vital resources in communities creates barriers to participation. For this reason, CocoNuts stepped up to help expose more opportunities to schools in rural areas. Christine Sapio, science and CIT teacher at Coconino High School, said she cried when the video was shown at the event.
The video highlights the importance of community, heritage and access, and it highlights CocoNuts’ dedication and passion for STEAM.
“It’s an amazing spotlight on our CocoNuts and our community,” she said.
Klopfenstein believes there is not enough excitement or passion for STEAM in rural communities, and that is one of the main reasons Flagstaff Unified School District is helping to spread the excitement of technology and opportunities. She said STEM and STEAM encouragement is minimal on the Navajo Nation, possibly due to a lack of internet, water, resources, and funding.
On Jan. 20, the CocoNuts, in partnership with the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, hosted the first-ever, all-indigenous “RezBotics” robotics tournament for Navajo Nation teams at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona. Klopfenstein said visits to the Navajo Nation in Window Rock and Tsaile were productive, and the student participants were excited and engaged.
“It’s just awesome to see how much confidence they [gained] in their skills and [to see] how much they want to keep doing it,” she said.
The FIRST program expansion to rural areas is a pilot program this year, and Klopfenstein hopes to expand it.
“There’s a team from Navajo Mountain that’s going to the able to go to the World Championship this year… there’s two others that were able to advance to state championships, which means they also have the chance to go to the World [Championships],” she explained. “Most of them were crying, and it was just awe-inspiring to see their excitement and work.” Klopfenstein thanks all the mentors and teachers involved in CocoNuts and the volunteers for making this effort possible. She especially thanked the Navajo Transitional Energy Company for their sponsorship in many areas.
Information from FUSD.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino High School students were recently featured in a professional video centering on what they are doing to expand access to STEM, STEAM, and the FIRST program in rural communities in northern Arizona. The video debuted at the FIRST Inspire Gala in Miami, Florida, in December.
Junior Elena Klopfenstein and senior Alicia Clouser, both Navajo Nation tribal members and CocoNuts FIRST Robotics Team members, visited several schools on the Navajo Nation over the last year, spreading the benefits of STEAM and building robots.
STEM and STEAM appear to be the same, but there are slight differences, the latter including arts. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while STEAM includes all those subjects plus arts. The difference also includes the way scientific concepts are approached.
STEM focuses on a hard scientific approach, while STEAM includes an approach that uses hard and soft skills. According to FIRST, they are the world’s leading youth-serving nonprofit helping young people discover a passion for STEM and develop both self-confidence and valuable, real-world skills that can open pathways to all types of career choices and outcomes.
The program provides a progressive series of mentor-guided, team-based robotics challenges for students ages 4-18, designed to ignite curiosity and encourage exploration. A diverse community of adult coaches, mentors, educators, volunteers, sponsors, and alumni help guide, inspire, and support students as they learn.
The FIRST program believes STEM is for everyone everywhere, but sometimes, a lack of access to vital resources in communities creates barriers to participation. For this reason, CocoNuts stepped up to help expose more opportunities to schools in rural areas. Christine Sapio, science and CIT teacher at Coconino High School, said she cried when the video was shown at the event.
The video highlights the importance of community, heritage and access, and it highlights CocoNuts’ dedication and passion for STEAM.
“It’s an amazing spotlight on our CocoNuts and our community,” she said.
Klopfenstein believes there is not enough excitement or passion for STEAM in rural communities, and that is one of the main reasons Flagstaff Unified School District is helping to spread the excitement of technology and opportunities. She said STEM and STEAM encouragement is minimal on the Navajo Nation, possibly due to a lack of internet, water, resources, and funding.
On Jan. 20, the CocoNuts, in partnership with the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, hosted the first-ever, all-indigenous “RezBotics” robotics tournament for Navajo Nation teams at Diné College in Tsaile, Arizona. Klopfenstein said visits to the Navajo Nation in Window Rock and Tsaile were productive, and the student participants were excited and engaged.
“It’s just awesome to see how much confidence they [gained] in their skills and [to see] how much they want to keep doing it,” she said.
The FIRST program expansion to rural areas is a pilot program this year, and Klopfenstein hopes to expand it.
“There’s a team from Navajo Mountain that’s going to the able to go to the World Championship this year… there’s two others that were able to advance to state championships, which means they also have the chance to go to the World [Championships],” she explained. “Most of them were crying, and it was just awe-inspiring to see their excitement and work.” Klopfenstein thanks all the mentors and teachers involved in CocoNuts and the volunteers for making this effort possible. She especially thanked the Navajo Transitional Energy Company for their sponsorship in many areas.
Information from FUSD.