Page 2A
December ll, 20l9
Boys & Girls Cub in Forsyth gets first STEM lab
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Forsyth Monroe County
Boys & Girls Club unveiled
its new state-of-the-art
STEM (Science Technology
Engineering Math) Lab on
Friday, Dec. 6. The Lab is
a collaboration of the Cal
Ripken Sr. Foundation and
the new Amazon Fulfill—
ment Center in Macon. It is
the 56th STEM Lab in the
U.S. created by the Cal Rip-
ken Sr. Foundation, which
is based in Baltimore, Md.
The Amazon Future Engi-
neer program gave $30,000
to equip the Lab at the local
Boys & Girls Club.
“This is an exciting da ,”
said Phillip Bryant, CEO
Boys & Girls Clubs of
Central Georgia, which
oversees the Monroe
County Club. “Thank you
guys so much for support—
ing Boys 81 Girls Clubs and
the development of the
young people. This is the
best STEM Lab in Central
Georgia.”
Bryant said he is very
happy that the Cal Ripken
Sr. Foundation and the
Amazon Fulfillment Center
picked this location of all
the places they could have
chosen. The STEM Cen-
ter includes eight differ-
ent areas that will engage
students and allow them to
solve problems and create
solutions. There is a 3—D
printer, a robotics center,
circuits to connect and
much more.
A team from the Cal Rip-
ken Sr. Foundation came
from Baltimore and spent
the day training teachers on
Samantha Nagurny of the
Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation
reacts as Boys 8: Girls Club
members try out the new
STEM Lab
the STEM Lab equipment
and introducing some
of the Boys & Girls Club
members to it. The Foun-
dation built the curriculum
and provides continuing
resources to use with it. The
team remained on hand for
the unveiling of the STEM
Lab on Friday afternoon,
joined by representatives
of Amazon, Boys 8: Girls
Clubs of Ce , ;.,
Monroe Coghrtayi §c%'2§81s
and the City of Forsyth.
“Thirty—five years ago
someone invested in me,”
said Randy Acosta, Vice
President of resource devel-
opment at Cal Ripken Sr.
Foundation. “We’re going
to give these kids hope and
opportunity. This really
makes us proud.”
“Science, technology and
innovation fuel AmaZon,”
said Corey Landry, general
manager of the Amazon
Fulfillment Center in
Macon. “We picked this
location on behalf of our
employees. We hope it
provides you youngsters
everything you need to see
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Phillip Bryant, CEO of Boys Girls Clubs of Central Georgia, cuts the ribbon
at the new STEM Lab with the help of
Forsyth-Monroe County Boys Girls Club members. The STEM Lab is made
possible by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation
and the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Macon. (Photos/Diane Glidewell)
the fruits of your efforts.”
The one million—square—
foot Amazon Fulfillment
Center opened on Skipper
Road in July and employs
over 900 full-time work:
Christmas season. Ama-
zon Future Engineer is a
comprehensive childhood-
to-career program that
increases access to com-
puter science education for
underserved communities.
The Ripken Foundation
has provided many sports-
related opportunities for
young people to promote
leadership, work ethic,
personal responsibility
and healthy living since
its founding in 2001. In
2016 it launched the STEM
Initiative building STEM
Labs, which has reached
over 23,000 children na-
tionwide. ‘
Acosta said it was impor—
tant to choose an area with
dedicated space, which the
Forsyth Monroe County
Boys 8! Girls Club has.
He said the programs are
.. - J M 4m angvon-
with knowledge of STEM
can do them. The point
is to get the right tools to
the teachers and students
and introduce them to the
resources available.
“We really enjoy partner-
ing with the communi ,”
said Acosta. “Critical think-
ing and problem solving
will carry you through life.
It’s all about. Whether they
have access.”
He said he enjoyed seeing
boys and girls run to the
stations and to Samantha
Nagurny, Ripken Founda-
tion program and cur-
riculum manager, when
they were allowed to
come into the STEM Lab.
Nagurny is part of the team
that trained teachers and
introduced students to the
new Lab.
“It’s exciting for us,” said
Nagurny “Kids are so fun.”
Joel Tolliver, site direc-
tor of the Forsyth Monroe
County Boys 8: Girls Club,
said his staff picked 10
children of different ages to
“A «A +l-m 1 nl‘ m1 Friday
and be part of the Grand
Opening. He said all club
members will now begin to
rotate to have one day each
week in the STEM Lab. The
Club will have a booth to
highlight the STEM Lab at
Monroe County Schools
STEM Night on Ian. 30. He
said the Club ‘has mem—
bers from ages 6 to 16.
The STEM Lab adapts to
skill levels and is neither
too hard nor too easy for
anyone.
On one table were small
oranges hooked to a com-
puter with a keyboard pro-
gram. By touching different
oranges one could play
notes and create a melody
Forsyth Mayor Eric Wil-
son talked about how co-
operation between the city,
county and school district
in 2017 was what enabled
them to bring a Boys &
Girls Club to Forsyth-Mon-
roe County. Bryant said
that McDonough is work—
ing on the same model
to bring the next Central
Georgia Boys 81 Girls Club
to its community.
“You were leaders in
forming partnerships and
now others are emulating
you,” said Bryant.
Monroe County Schools
Superintendent Dr. Mike
Hickman noted that the
cooperation in bringing the
Boys 8r Girls Club to Mon-
roe County had sparked
continuing cooperation
between local government
and groups for the benefit
of citizens. He thanked
Bryant for the work and vi-
sion of bringing the STEM
Lab to Monroe County
children.
“Just look around the
room,” said Hickman. “It’s
obvious what the STEM
Lab does for our children.
They’re engaged. They’ll
be on our school robotics
teams.”
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