Center for Lifelong Learning

This week, Athens State University announced the STEAM Roller initiative to address educational needs and expand education opportunities in STEAM to underserved youth in Limestone County. 

The STEAM Roller is a mobile lab that will travel to Athens City and Limestone County elementary schools with the mission to deliver on-site lessons and activities to garner STEAM interest in local underserved elementary students. 

“The STEAM Roller project is rooted in research and statistics that demonstrate there is an opportunity access gap between underserved youth and their peers within the Limestone County community,” said Athens State in a press statement.

There are 11 Title 1 elementary schools within Limestone County and Athens City schools, and the initiative intends to close the gap for students at those schools. 

“Serving as the education and community outreach extension of Athens State, the Center for Lifelong Learning will be leading and executing STEAM Roller, and the Athens State College of Education will take a secondary role in the project with a proposal to offer education majors field experience through their involvement with the project,” said Athens State.

Director of the Athens State Center for Lifelong Learning Dr. Andrew Dollar began asking “what does year-round development look like?” after learning there was a 25 to 30 percent increase in attendance of youth summer camps since shifting to STEM based camps. This realization was the birthing point for the STEAM Roller project. 

“During the first year of operation, the STEAM Roller will target approximately 80 children in grades K-5 through eight workshops,” said Athens State. The workshops will be hour-long experiences crafted by local educators in partnership with the Center for Lifelong Learning.

“The Center for Lifelong Learning plans to soon host their first STEAM Roller workshop with latchkey program students from iAcademy at Athens Elementary once equipment and supplies are delivered,” said Athens State.

The workshops will allow students the opportunity to engage in creative problem-solving skills while fostering teamwork and collaboration.

Dollar hopes the project will “create one more contact point in STEM fields and provide enriching opportunities to plant the seed that all children can grow up to become scientists, engineers, and so much more.”

This is a developing story. The News Courier will follow up with the iAcademy at Athens Elementary next week.