TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Society of Women Engineers at The University of Alabama recently hosted its largest annual youth outreach event, WOW! That’s Engineering!, welcoming more than 140 third- through eighth-grade students and over 70 parents to campus for a free day of hands-on STEM activities.
This year’s event was coordinated by College of Engineering students Taylor Sheffield and Gabriella Gaston, who have co-led the initiative for the past two years. The camp featured activities aligned with Alabama education standards, an educational session for parents and participants were able to take home their finished experiments.
“[Taylor and] I have had the absolute privilege of coordinating WOW! together for the past two years,” Gaston said. “What made this year’s event so special wasn’t just the record number of attendees, but the visible excitement in the room. Seeing students light up when their water slide worked or when they explored density in the oil lab reminded me why outreach like this matters.”
Participants represented more than 30 schools and 15 cities across Alabama, with two students traveling from Mississippi to attend.
“I really enjoyed this event because we come from a small, rural community, and opportunities like these do not get offered often—let alone at no cost,” one parent said.
Students engaged in creative, age-appropriate activities throughout the day by building water slides, cleaning simulated oil spills and participating in other relevant activities that Sheffield and Gaston planned. They also built model size submarines, learned about the water cycle and created oil density bottles. The event included STEM bingo and interactive experiments designed to make science and engineering approachable.
Over the past year, Sheffield and Gaston raised more than $3,500 from sponsors and donors to support the event, covering meals, supplies and giveaways. Nearly 50 volunteers assisted with logistics, student engagement and activity facilitation.
“We want to show kids that learning and exploring new ideas can be super fun,” Sheffield said. “Exposing young children to STEM and sparking a love for problem-solving and thinking outside the box is the first step toward helping them fall in love with all things STEM.”
With another successful year complete, the two coordinators are hoping to continue growing a legacy of outreach and inspiration as Sheffield steps into the role of SWE president and Gaston assumes the position of vice president of outreach for the upcoming academic year.
