How STEM Education Can Help Build Confidence in Youth
We believe that by engaging youth in STEM education, we can reignite their hope and confidence in the world and show them that they have the power to make a difference.
Confidence Boosting STEM Fun for Kids
September 15, 2022
At the beginning of the summer, Actua launched its #BuildBackConfidence campaign to raise awareness of the impacts of the pandemic on youth mental well-being and the power of STEM education in rebuilding a young person’s confidence in themselves and the world around them.
As an organization engaging hundreds of thousands of youth each year, we have witnessed a collective concern among parents and educators that young people are experiencing significant learning loss and decreased confidence and motivation levels due to the pandemic.
Now that students are back at school, it’s time to boost that confidence and put our work into action!
Our goal is to help you – parents and educators – understand how STEM education can rebuild your child’s lost confidence, reignite their passion for learning and re-cultivate their hopes for the future.
Before we get started, why STEM?
STEM Builds Critical Skills & Confidence: STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM education is one of the most effective ways to develop the practical in-demand skills needed for any future career path. It’s more than just an acronym. It is an approach to learning and teaching that is hands-on, imaginative, and play-based and focuses on critical thinking and problem-solving in real life.
STEM can address the world’s most pressing challenges: From new medical advancements to green energy technologies, STEM is critical in addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges. That’s why Actua believes that by engaging youth in STEM education, we can reignite their hope and confidence in the world and show them that, with the skills and confidence in STEM, they have the power to build solutions that create change and make a difference.
We now invite you to roll up your sleeves and get curious! The hands-on STEM activity below will help your child learn basic STEM concepts while setting some goals to help them feel confident throughout the school year.
Setting goals, especially those we know can be achieved with a little focus and effort, are a great way to build self-confidence. In this activity, your child will look ahead to the school year and set one or more goals for themselves. After creating their goal(s), your child will use their knowledge of chemistry to affirm their goals and help them take off by launching them into the sky using a film canister rocket.