It Just Takes a Spark
By Kristin Brynteson, NIU STEAM Director
A couple weeks ago, the NIU STEAM PD team met for a blog workshop. During the workshop, we started sharing our stories about a moment from our childhood that inspired our love of STEAM. All of us could point back to a moment, event or experience that sparked a lifelong interest in STEAM. It was a fun conversation and got me thinking more about the power of the spark.
At NIU STEAM we have built programing around this idea of sparking an interest. As part of our STEAM framework, we have three tiers of impact that drive the purpose of our programs. The first tier of impact is Inspiration. What that means is, our programs, events and activities in the Inspiration tier are designed to get participants asking questions and wanting to learn more – to spark an interest. I like to think of this as the Spark tier. In fact, Find your Spark is the tagline for our largest Inspiration event of the year, STEM Fest! This year, STEM Fest was on September 30 and was a huge success!
At STEM Fest what do we mean when we say, Find Your Spark? We mean come and be inspired. While you are there, be curious about the world around you and open to where that curiosity will take you. Find what interests you and inspires you to learn more. To help attendees find their spark, we fill the center of campus with hands-on activities to explore and amazing people to talk to. There is something interesting to do and someone interesting to talk to around every corner. The goal of STEM Fest is to showcase the wide world of STEAM. When we say there is something for everyone, we really mean it. The entire purpose of the event is to get attendees saying. “Oh! I never knew that!” or “Wow, I want to learn more about that!” or “I want to do that when I grow up!” STEM Fest is not about making sure everyone develops a deep understanding of every STEAM concept presented. It’s about the spark. We want everyone to leave with a deep desire to learn something more about something new.
We know that a 10-year-old who attends STEM fest will not leave the event with the knowledge and skills needed to build their own Mars Rover. However, that 10-year-old may have had their first encounter with a rover built from scratch by engineering students – and the may decide they want to do that someday. They then go home wanting to learn everything they can about robotics and coding so they can build their own in the future. It sparked a new interest. A high school student might have stopped by one of the booths and had a conversation with a faculty member doing research on water. Did they leave understanding the full impact of microplastics in our water systems? Probably not. But they may have become more aware of their impact on the environment and learned about careers in water research they didn’t even know existed. That conversation helped them decide what to do after high school. It sparked an interest in an exciting new career path. An adult visiting STEM Fest might have stopped by a booth in the Health and Wellness Hall and learned about the connection between diet and hearing loss. That new information sparked a desire to better understand the connection between what they eat and their overall health. They were inspired to learn more and make some changes.
In my 14 years of STEM Fest, I have witnessed these sparks over and over again. You can see it when it happens. Sometimes it’s subtle. The nod of the head. The raise of an eyebrow. Other times it’s big! A whoop or a wow! A laugh or a clap. You can see the gleam in the eyes when someone finds their spark. These moments, conversations, and experiences may be fleeting, but they have the potential to make a lasting impression. Finding your spark is about being inspired to learn more and do more. Even small sparks can be life altering. Just like how the PD team talked about a moment that inspired our love of STEAM. A moment can spark a lifelong interest. But remember, finding a spark is not just for the young. It’s for all ages. Anyone can experience a spark of inspiration, and sometimes it’s found in unexpected places.
So, go out there and find your spark! You never know when inspiration will find you. It might be at next year’s STEM Fest or maybe at a future STEM Café. It could be while sitting on your couch watching an interesting YouTube video, reading a book or listening to a podcast. You might be inspired by a fascinating plant you find while walking in the woods or by a new work of art you discover while visiting a museum. It could even come from a chance conversation with an interesting stranger at your favorite coffee shop. A spark of inspiration can happen at any time, in any place, and a spark is a catalyst for change. You just need to stay curious, ask questions and be open to new experiences. Encourage the young people in your lives to do the same. You never know how one spark will inspire you.
