Girls STEM club benefits from Partnerships with O-I and NASA

The Girls STEM Club at Perrysburg Junior High School has been actively enjoying partnerships with O-I and NASA. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. In a recent meeting, the students were introduced to the research and design process with the tasks of designing a better glass container under the guidance of O-I employees or designing a better astronaut suit with guidance from NASA Glenn Research Center.

O-I is a generous partner of the Girls STEM Club by financially supporting it through Perrysburg Schools Foundation and providing female employee support both at O-I and at the club’s bi-weekly meetings.

Participation with NASA is through the NASA Out of School Learning Network (NOSL). Mrs. Amy Boros and Mrs. Jennifer Krueger were trained in this innovative program in the fall at the Challenger Learning Center in Oregon, Ohio, and have been implementing the curriculum with the Girls STEM Club this winter and will continue through the end of the school year.

Through the NASA partnership, the students have:

• Designed, created and launched rockets, refining their designs to meet preset criteria for a successful launch.
• Engaged with a retired NASA engineer and a retired rocket scientist from the U.S. Department of Defense to discuss the latest from NASA and rocket design around the world.
• Video conferenced with Roger Storm from NASA Glenn to learn about the history of the U.S. astronaut suit and to consult with him in small groups in order to design a better astronaut suit for the future.
• Participated in a lively discussion and question/answer session about the effects of space travel on humans with Tyler O’Brien, the Interactive Science Specialist Team Leader at Challenger Learning Center.

“The club members have greatly benefited from this partnership with NASA and O-I and are rapidly expanding their knowledge of research and design, space travel, rocket science and engineering while looking at the future to make a difference through their own careers and experiences!” shared Mrs. Boros.