Columbia State’s 'STEM Within Reach' Inspires Middle Schoolers with Hands‑On Science and Tech

Columbia State Community College recently hosted a one-day 'STEM Within Reach' event aimed at sparking curiosity and ambition among middle school students by spotlighting careers and skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, according to a Nov. 13 news release.

Hands-on learning that connects classroom to career

The program welcomed 6th–8th graders from around the region and offered interactive stations and workshops led by faculty, college students and community volunteers. Activities were designed to build foundational scientific and technical skills while exposing students to STEM pathways available in Tennessee.

Featured activities

• Cow eyeball dissection — real biology exploration
• Coding sessions and computer game development
• Building self-sustaining container ecosystems
• Demonstrations of chlorophyll fluorescence with plants
• Forensic anthropology activities assembling skeletons
• Hands-on lessons about how infectious diseases spread
• Virtual reality gameplay and immersive science experiences
• Interactions with live animals and controlled cloud-creation demos
• Remote-controlled robot operation and robotics outreach
• Designing and launching 3D-printed pumpkin projectiles

Janelle Williams, a Columbia State alumna and production engineering site lead at Boeing, delivered the keynote address. Williams, who joined Boeing in 2017 to help develop rocket-launch technology for NASA, encouraged students to blend creativity and problem-solving as they explore STEM careers: 'Use your imagination to turn that creativity into passion, and you’ll never work a day in your life. The sky is no longer the limit; reach for the stars.'

Andrew Wright, assistant vice president of faculty, curriculum and programs at Columbia State, reflected on the program's growth since it began in 2012: 'Every time I watch middle-school students light up as they discover something new about STEM, I'm reminded why we do this.' Dr. Ryan Badeau, co-chair of the event, noted that the enthusiastic student participation — many hands went up when asked what they had learned — showed the day's success.

The event was supported by Columbia State faculty and staff, volunteer presenters and community partners such as the Tennessee Valley Authority. TechNova Robotics coach Lisa Tondino emphasized outreach's role in making engineering feel exciting and accessible to younger students.

Reported by Jay Powell for The Daily Herald. For more local coverage and newsletter signup, visit ColumbiaDailyHerald.com.