July 02, 2024
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Civil engineers bring competitive activity to Gompers Junior High in Joliet

Students need to learn ‘they are capable of great things’

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Gompers Junior High School students Valeska Castellano, Ericka Vasquez Henriquez, and Sofia Perez Camargo discuss their ideas to build a strong water tower.

Gompers Junior High School students Valeska Castellano, Ericka Vasquez Henriquez, and Sofia Perez Camargo discuss their ideas to build a strong water tower. (Photo provided by Joliet Public Schools District 86)

A consultant team working to bring Lake Michigan water to Joliet brought hands-on learning to Joliet students.

Members of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois organized a competitive engineering activity for 27 students in Stephen Rummel’s sixth-grade science class at Gompers Junior High School in Joliet on May 16, according to a news release from Joliet Public Schools District 86.

The civil engineers included Janet Henderson, director of business development at Images Inc. Naperville, and Heidi Voirol and Aimme Muro of V3 Companies, according to the release.

Members of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL) organized a competitive engineering activity for 27 students in Stephen Rummel’s sixth-grade science class at Gompers Junior High School in Joliet on May 16. Pictured is Director of Business Development, Images, Inc. Janet Henderson, Chase Robinson, V2 Companies Civil Engineer Heidi Voirol, Permedia Carr and Emily Johnson.

Members of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL) organized a competitive engineering activity for 27 students in Stephen Rummel’s sixth-grade science class at Gompers Junior High School in Joliet on May 16. Pictured is Director of Business Development, Images, Inc. Janet Henderson, Chase Robinson, V2 Companies Civil Engineer Heidi Voirol, Permedia Carr and Emily Johnson. (Photo provided by Joliet Public Schools District 86)

After providing the students with an overview of water conservation – RethinkWaterJoliet – the civil engineers challenged the students to create a project of their own.

It is imperative for students to learn about and try out potential careers in STEM fields so they have goals and aspirations to pursue challenging but rewarding careers.”

—   Stephen Rummel, sixth-grade science teacher at Gompers Junior High School

The students then designed and tested “a model water tower using toothpicks, marshmallows and rocks representing the weight of water,” according to the release.

“The students really enjoyed the activity and learning about engineering,” Gompers Junior High School Principal Rita Sparks said in the release.

Jesus Reyes, Stephanie Angulo, Alexa Gonzalez, and Aaliyah Sheridan build a model water tower as V3 Companies Civil Engineer Aimme Muro observes their work.

Jesus Reyes, Stephanie Angulo, Alexa Gonzalez and Aaliyah Sheridan build a model water tower as V3 Companies civil engineer Aimme Muro observes their work. (Photo provided by Joliet Public Schools District 86)

Rummel said it’s important for professionals to show students “potential future careers” and for students to see that “they are capable of great things.”

“It is imperative for students to learn about and try out potential careers in STEM fields so they have goals and aspirations to pursue challenging but rewarding careers,” Rummel said in the release.

The Illinois Department of Transportation supports science, technology, engineering and math education and has worked with ACEC Illinois to support students and teachers, according to the release.

For materials on STEM careers in engineering, visit www.acecil.org/acec-students.

Teachers interested in inviting engineers to their classroom should visit ilengineeringinitiative.org.