Over 100 high school students from Howard and Carroll County Public Schools experienced the technologies at work in the Fort Meade Region at the annual Fall Tech Mania event on Friday, November 8.
Hosted by Howard Community College, the event brought together students from Hammond, Long Reach, Wilde Lake, Oakland Mills, and Century High Schools for an exciting day of hands-on tech demonstrations with FMA member companies.
Throughout the day, students participated in a variety of interactive activities showcasing the latest in STEM innovation. Students experimented with Ozobot robots with Lockheed Martin, used radar technology to uncover the shapes of hidden objects with Northrop Grumman and Learning Undefeated, explored immersive virtual environments using virtual reality goggles with MasterPeace Solutions, learned about knowledge graphs with RealmOne, and experienced virtual tours in construction with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company.
“Tech Mania was a well-organized event for my students to engage with hands-on demonstrations and collaboration with peers on teamwork activities, developing communication skills to brainstorm ideas while solving problems,” said Kelly Broyles, Career Research and Development/Work Based Learning Educator at Wild Lake High School.
Throughout the day, students expressed how the demonstrations sparked their interest in pursuing a STEM-related career, helping them see the connections between the technologies they were learning about and their potential real-world applications.
“I liked how most of the learning was hands on, so it kept me motivated to be engaged in what we were doing,” said one student from Oakland Mills High School. Students also had the opportunity to ask questions about the presenters’ career paths and gained valuable insights into the day-to-day responsibilities of those in STEM fields.
Thank you to Howard Community College for hosting the event, and to all the presenters for sharing their expertise, answering questions and helping to inspire the next generation of innovators in the Fort Meade region.
