Children set up tables around the school loaded with information about what they can offer the students, some of whom they’re looking to recruit.
“The goal is to give them that glimpse into the real world,” Taylor said. “Our motto at the STEM school is ‘The Real World Starts Here.’ So this is the perfect event to kind of exemplify that.”
Between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., students were pulled from their classrooms in waves to walk around the fair. All 750 6th to 12th grade students at the school participated in some way.
For the juniors and seniors, the fair is a critical time. They’re looking at internships, job shadowing, and various college programs to enroll in.
The younger kids were not left out, however. That day, they dressed their best, practice giving a firm handshake, and work on their interview skills.
“Our goal really is to show our students what kind of opportunities are available right here in their backyard in Dayton,” Stephanie Adams Taylor, the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Regional STEM School, said. “Many of our students are going into higher ed or the workforce right here, whether that’s [at] Wright State, UD, or Sinclair or Clark State, all of which are represented today.”
And the STEM school has a good record to demonstrate the successes of the fair. According to Taylor, approximately 70% of graduates from the school end up in the STEM field.
The national average is 25% of students.
“It’s my favorite day of the year because our students just get to explore,” Taylor said. “It’s going to be a really good day.”