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DeKALB – Northern Illinois University, Meta and the city of DeKalb recently celebrated the grand opening of the NIU STEAM Studio.
The celebration was held in conjunction with the 15th annual NIU STEM Fest, according to a news release. The studio features a makerspace, the Creative Arts and Technology Lab, and a flexible classroom for the university’s Barb City STEAM Team programs. The programs support DeKalb youth in learning engineering, science, math, technology and arts through homework help, mentorship and hands-on projects.
Meta, which has a data center in DeKalb, is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
“Meta is proud to call DeKalb home, and we are committed to creating a positive impact here and investing in the long-term success of its students,” Meta community development manager Tara Tenorio said in a news release. “We are thrilled to be both deepening our partnership with NIU and helping create new opportunities for DeKalb High School students – especially those from communities that have historically been underrepresented in tech fields. STEM education is incredibly important for students of today to be career- and college-ready, and we’re excited to help grow the next generation of leaders here in DeKalb.”
The Barb City STEAM Team has brought middle school students to an NIU after-school program since fall 2021. The program is designed for underrepresented students in STEAM careers. The students work with NIU STEAM educators and student mentors to develop college and career readiness through participating in sports, creating art, cooking healthy food, and taking part in hands-on science and engineering challenges.
The program recently was expanded to high school students through a Meta DeKalb Data Center grant. The fall session includes 30 middle school students. The program will include 40 middle school and 40 high school students for the 2024-25 school year.
“We know that this type of mentorship is transformative for students who could be the first generation in their family to attend college,” NIU Executive Vice President and Provost Laurie Elish Pipe said in the release. “The Barb City students are developing persistence, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills as they work through complex design challenges. Just as importantly, they’re building a network of college-bound peers and university mentors who can support them through the completion of high school and the transition to university. This program is truly helping DeKalb’s students to imagine themselves as college and career bound.”
Barb City STEAM Team program director Jasmine Carey said she has seen firsthand how students have grown in confidence, self-esteem and self-advocacy skills during the program.
“Many students are self-advocating, communicating with their teachers, and taking the initiative when it comes to maintaining and improving their grades,” Carey said in the release. “Many have gained the confidence to try out for other extracurricular activities that they might not have tried out for in the past. Other students are breaking through fears of public speaking and taking on speaking roles in our Teen STEM Cafes.
“One student expressed their social anxieties upon starting the program and has since bloomed into a well-spoken and expressive young person. We have become partners with our students’ families to establish a program that nurtures a positive self-image, instills belief in their abilities and empowers their children to envision themselves in STEAM careers.”
The flexible classroom will assist various STEAM activities with grow towers, moveable whiteboard tables and science lab tables. The makerspace includes tools such as 3D printers and a laser cutter. The Creative Arts and Technology Lab features a computer lab and technology for students to create digital media. The technology includes headsets and drawing tablets, a green-screen production area and an art creation space.
“All three of the spaces provide an area where students can explore additive manufacturing, digital production, environmental science and more,” NIU STEAM Director Kristin Brynteson said in the release. “In these learning spaces, they are working on projects connected to the real-works skills needed for high-demand careers of the future.
“We think of our programs as working together on different tiers of impact designed to inspire and support students’ interest and success in STEM fields. STEM Fest is designed to spark excitement about STEM/STEAM learning in the whole community. Then, for those young people whose imagination has been captured at STEM Fest, the Barb City STEAM Team is one possible pathway toward a deeper knowledge of and preparation for STEAM fields.”
NIU STEAM is accepting applications for the Barb City STEAM Team middle and high school programs. Participants must be registered DeKalb School District 428 middle or high school students from underrepresented communities and face commonly recognized STEAM career barriers. To apply, visit niu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form or niusteam.niu.edu/programs-events/barb-city-steam-team.