BROAD RIPPLE — Broad Ripple Middle School students are diving into the STEM fields early, and it's thanks to a brand new state-of-the-art STEM lab designed to get kids excited about future careers in the field.
WRTV got a look inside the lab on Wednesday. Throughout our visit, students shared their excitement about the new addition.
"I think I like the drones the best," Harvey, a 7th grader at Broad Ripple Middle, said.
"The most exciting is the rovers and stuff," Tomaz, another 7th grader at Broad Ripple Middle, said.
Whether it's driving robotic cars, 3D printing or even flying drones, the sky is the limit when it comes to STEM here at Broad Ripple Middle School.
"Anybody would be excited to have these things, myself included," Principal Jeremy Baugh said with a laugh.
Getting students excited about STEM can be a difficult task, but the new lab is changing students' minds one gadget at a time.
“They always ask like, when are we gonna go back to the STEM Lab?" Adaline Stevens, a teacher in the lab, said. "And that’s how I know they’re really getting it.”
The facility features a variety of technology for students to try. That includes everything from robotics kits, coding lessons, 3D printers, drones, laptops, mobile workstations and much more.
“It’s giving them access to real tools with real problems that they get to try to solve," Baugh stated.
Baugh said the goal is to ignite students interests.
“Our middle school students really are going to set the stage for us in the future," he said. "And if we don’t give them activities and access to some of our STEM materials, they’re really not going to know what’s there.”
Educators told WRTV they see the impact of a program like this in real time.
“This was the first time that we put out these [robotic kits], and they made a whole Ferris wheel," Stevens said. "I was shocked... no guidance at all, they just made it.”
"We want STEM to be an integrated part of everything the kids are doing," Baugh said.
With even more activities planned for the future, the excitement is evident all around.
"I'm really excited to go into high school and learn all about it," Harvey said.
"This gets me more excited about technology and STEM," Tomaz said.
The lab aligns with IPS's recently announced Destination 2032 initiative — powered by a $5.5 million grant from the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation — that will fund STEM coursework and STEM future centers at schools across the district.
