Support is being sought for an upcoming youth education conference to be hosted on the campus of Athens State University.

The fifth annual YEA STEaM Conference is set for Tuesday, April 3. It is presented by the YEA Committee, which is an acronym for Youth Education Awareness. The committee is comprised of local and state representatives from the fields of STEM, technical education and the arts.

The event is co-sponsored by the Alabama, Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) of Athens State University. Breakfast and lunch will be provided free.

About the event

While STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEaM includes an arts component. This year’s conference will also focus on reading, leadership, health and nutrition and social media.

“This year we have enhanced our STEaM activities to offer students opportunities to showcase their talents through innovation, creativity and skill sets by presenting and modeling their STEaM projects with their peers to compete for prizes and awards,” said a release from the event committee. “In addition, exhibitors and presenters will offer interactive activities to challenge the minds and abilities of students.”

Up to 400 K-12 students may participate in the event. Schools may bring teams consisting of three to five members for each 150 students enrolled.

Students will compete in a series of competitions, including:

• Egg drop challenge: Grades K-2;

• Building for hurricanes: Grades 3-5 and 6-8; and

• App design challenge: Grades 6-8 and 9-12.

The deadline for students to register is Feb. 28. Interested students should visit http://bit.ly/YEARegistration to register for the event.

Help sought

Organizers are also seeking additional sponsors and volunteers. There are a number of sponsor packages available, ranging from the bronze level of $50 up to the platinum level of $500. The sponsorship deadline is March 16.

For more information, email Dr. Quanda Stevenson at DrQStevenson@gmail.com or quanda.stevenson@athens.edu.