PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Computer programming, medical lab testing and greenhouse seed work were among the hands-on activities local eighth graders dug into at the University of Maine at Presque Isle last week.
During the university’s third annual STEM Day on May 15, 120 students from Presque Isle Middle School converged on the campus to explore different kinds of science up close.
For many, it was their first experience on a college campus, university officials said. The day allowed them to learn in a fun and different environment, while introducing them to activities they might not otherwise experience.
For Jason Johnston, professor of wildlife ecology and campus STEM Day coordinator, it’s a chance to help kids see things in ways they hadn’t thought of before.
“It’s the idea that things are right in their backyard that they don’t even know are there,” he said. “It’s really just getting them to think about our natural environment around us.”
Johnston led one of five activity stations students visited. His presentation on migratory birds allowed the groups to examine specimens preserved through taxidermy and learn what kinds of birds are common to Aroostook County.
Snowy and barred owls are seen locally, he said, as well as songbirds like summer yellow warblers, tiny insect-eating birds that people often see in their backyards.
During his presentation, students seemed fascinated with the bird specimens. Johnston’s favorite part is hearing the students talk about their own bird stories, and seeing their interest blossom.
Next door, Krista Delahunty, an adjunct professor who also happens to be Johnston’s wife, taught her groups how to test samples that simulated body fluids of fictional patients. The students added milk to the samples, then used lactase enzyme test strips to determine if their “patients” were lactose intolerant.
Delahunty helped coordinate STEM Day with the middle school. Participants enjoy the hands-on activities, and most haven’t been to a university before, she said.
“I think it just opens their eyes to all the possibilities in science,” she said. “They can see what lab work is like, and so on.”
Mark Royer, assistant professor of computer science, offered a brief history of computing and then introduced a program called Python that uses a “turtle,” a cursor, to draw on screen.
Other activities included creating a seed ball in the greenhouse with Matt Wallhead, assistant professor of agricultural science, and a session on health science with exercise science associate professor Barb Blackstone and instructor Keli Marston.
For the students, the day provided not just a change of pace but a chance to see the possibilities in science.
“A day like this introduces us to different sciences,” Alycia Willette said.
She found the sessions in the greenhouse and on birds most interesting, she said, adding she would like to become a pediatrician.
Connor Meile also liked learning about the different types of birds and their behaviors, as well as the lab testing activity.
“I think it’s a lot of fun and I’m glad we’re able to do it,” he said. “The best part is being able to understand different parts of science better.”
Correction: This story has been amended to correct Matt Wallhead’s name, Jason Johnston’s title as professor of wildlife ecology and to clarify yellow warblers as insectivores.
