Society of Women Engineers Teaches Engineering Basics to Elementary Students
Lafayette students worked with fourth graders at Forks Elementary School
Students in Lafayette’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) recently participated in a joint program with Forks Elementary School in Easton. 21 Lafayette students volunteered at the school on Feb. 19-21.Working with all five sections of the fourth grade, the students used balloon-powered cars to explain Newton’s Second Law, the parts of a car, the design process, acceleration, and velocity.
According to SWE co-president Christina Mack ’09 (Lafayette Hill, Pa.), who is majoring in mechanical engineering, members of SWE hoped that the project “would show young girls that females could succeed in engineering and that they do not have to follow the stereotypes of gender roles.”
The idea for the project was suggested to SWE by Jess Comer, visiting assistant professor of mechanical engineering. SWE then planned the program with Judith Villari, a teacher at Forks Elementary School. The program “A World of Motion” supplied the kits to make the balloon-powered cars.
“Working with the children was a blast,” says Mack. “They were so energetic and really interested in what we were teaching them. They were asking questions and drawing conclusions that not only demonstrated their understanding of the material we taught them but also showed that they could use these concepts to formulate their own ideas at the next level.”
The students who volunteered during the three-day program are Carolyn Stolfi ’09 (Chatham, N.J.), Naomi Itescu ’10 (Havertown, Pa.), Erin Zimmerman ’08 (Wilmington, Del.), and Alison Tether ’10 (King of Prussia, Pa.), who are majoring in mechanical engineering; Marquis Scholar Christie Atkinson ’09 (Aston, Pa.), Marquis Scholar Ashley Jermusyk ’08 (Miller Place, N.Y.), and Emily Mallory ’09 (Camarillo, Calif.), who are majoring in chemical engineering; Laura Werkheiser ’09 (Easton, Pa.) and Wystan Carswell ’10 (Huntingdon Valley, Pa.), who are majoring in civil engineering; Marquis Scholar Alyssa Batula ’09 (Cleona, Pa.), who is majoring in electrical and computer engineering; Marquis Scholar Chelsea Michael ’09 (Fredericksburg, Pa.), who is majoring in neuroscience; Leslie Raucher ’10 (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.), who is majoring in geology and environmental geosciences; Tafadzwa Munezvenyu ’11 (Harare, Zimbabwe); Morgan Callahan ’11 (Netcong, N.J.); Marquis Scholar Alicia Clark ’11 (Collegeville, Pa.); Cara Lyons ’11 (New Holland, Pa.); Elizabeth Pinelli ’11 (Princeton Junction, N.J.); Marquis Scholar Michelle Mendoza ’11 (Holliston, Mass.); Diane Tran ’11 (West Hartford, Conn.); and Marquis Scholar Ashley Juavinett ’11 (Blackwood, N.J.).
Mack says that SWE plans on staying involved with Forks Elementary School. Also, she and Atkinson, who also serves as co-president, plan on repeating the same program next year. If they can get enough volunteers, they hope to try another local elementary school, so that SWE will be involved with one school a semester.
“This project definitely goes on the list of favorite things I have done at Lafayette,” says Mack. “I think that it is really important that we reach out to children and the local community. Lafayette is full of talented young students and I think it is important that we use our talents to help those around us.”
