Hands-on with STEM at Kids Engineering Day

Nearly 200 students got hands-on with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities on March 2 during the Energy Northwest U.S. Women in Nuclear (U.S. WIN) Kids Engineering Day event.

The 2024 event was held at Kiona-Benton City Elementary School in Benton City, Washington. About half of the attendees were from the Benton City community. More than 50 volunteers helped put on the event. Activities included learning about Mars, building molecules from gum drops, using radiation detectors, building electrical circuits and much more.

Volunteers included employees from Energy Northwest, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Reach Museum, Framatome, American Chemical Society, Mid-Columbia Library, Mid-Columbia Children’s Museum and LIGO Hanford. 

Energy Northwest U.S. WIN hosts this community event each year and it is the chapter’s largest outreach activity.

Children create science-themed art at the Kids Engineering Day event in Benton City, Washington, hosted by Energy Northwest U.S. WIN.
Children create science-themed art at the Kids Engineering Day event in Benton City, Washington, hosted by Energy Northwest U.S. WIN.

 

Employees from Framatome in Richland, Washington, help a participant in Kids Engineering day make a pretend nuclear fuel pellet.
Employees from Framatome in Richland, Washington, help a participant in Kids Engineering day make a pretend nuclear fuel pellet.

 

Energy Northwest volunteers Dina Khaniya, System Engineering, and George Wells, Security Access, set up mouse traps for a demonstration about energy transfer during Kids Engineering Day on March 2.
Energy Northwest volunteers Dina Khaniya, System Engineering, and George Wells, Security Access, set up mouse traps for a demonstration about energy transfer during Kids Engineering Day on March 2.

 

Crystal Slavens, Energy Northwest U.S. WIN chair, shows a Kids Engineering Day participant how to use a remote control crane.
Crystal Slavens, Energy Northwest U.S. WIN chair, shows a Kids Engineering Day participant how to use a remote control crane.

 

A participant in Kids Engineering Day learns about radioactivity using a radiation detector.
A participant in Kids Engineering Day learns about radioactivity using a radiation detector.