Posted on March 07, 2014
Last month I was pleased that our teams could be part of a terrific National Engineers Week event that introduced thousands of DC-area kids to the wonders of engineering. Discover Engineering Family Day drew more than 9,000 participants to the National Building Museum where kids built and launched paper rockets, created “slime” from soap and glue, and participated in a variety of hands-on activities designed to teach scientific principles and engineering concepts while sparking the excitement that comes from bringing an idea to fruition.
Booz Allen was represented by two teams of employees who work out of our offices in Stafford, VA and Westborough, MA. Kids who visited our table learned about biometrics collection systems, which help law enforcement officials find criminals and solve crimes, and took part in a manual fingerprint capture. Our other group of volunteers developed a vehicle communications demonstration, rigging a car dashboard so kids could “drive” it with an Xbox controller. You can view a few pictures here.
At Booz Allen, where our employees are challenged every day to develop innovative technological solutions to our clients’ problems, we are deeply invested in nurturing the next generation of leaders in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). One of the most exciting ways we exercise that investment is in our support of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), which designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people (ages 6-18) to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.
If you are looking for a way to help kids in your community turn their intellectual curiosity into a passion for a STEM career, attend aFIRST® event in your area. Whether you attend with or without kids of your own, as a spectator or event volunteer, you will have fun! And if you’re like me, you’ll get hooked.
You can learn about events in your community on the FIRST® website and sign up to volunteer. If you’re in Maryland or Virginia, I hope you’ll join us at the upcoming FIRST® Robotics Competition regional events we are proud to support. They take place in Richmond, VA (March 21-22); Fairfax, VA (March 28-29); and College Park, MD (April 4-5).
