Army engineers support STEMposium with DoDEA students from across Europe
More than 100 students from DoDEA high schools across Europe gathered in Wiesbaden, Germany for the annual STEMposium event where they were grouped into teams to develop projects and solutions to real-world scenarios based on climate change and impacts to population centers.
“Students representing our 21 DoDEA Europe high schools are presented with a different real-world scenario in which they are required to formulate actionable solutions in order to be successful,” said DoDEA Europe Student Activities Coordinator Rob Smith about the event. “Our students are getting hands-on, real-world experience dealing with cutting-edge tools, technologies, and techniques that can lead to success later in life.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District was one of a handful of organizations that supported the STEMposium, participating in the career fair and providing mentoring and answering questions from students as they worked on their projects.
In a first for the annual STEMposium, this year’s event incorporated a STEM-focused career fair where representatives from different organizations, including Europe District and several others.
“It was great talking to the students during the career fair,” said Europe District Engineering Branch Chief Nathan Fox. “They were all very engaging and curious about the range of jobs available for engineers and in other STEM fields.”
"Being a part of JLS during its 40th anniversary was inspiring. Knowing that I am a part of something larger is reassuring. I'm only in middle school, but the leadership lessons that I learned this week will help me be successful in anything that I want to try,” stated Beatrice, a student from Wiesbaden Middle School.
A unique aspect of Junior Leadership Seminar is the integration of team building exercises, which not only foster a sense of unity among participants but also enhance collaborative skills essential in any leadership role.
The highlight of the seminar is the development of a service, spirit, or needs-based project. Students are encouraged to conceptualize, plan, and upon returning to their schools, implement these projects. This hands-on approach ensures that the leadership principles learned during the seminar are applied in real-world scenarios, nurturing a generation of responsible, innovative, and community-focused leaders.
"The most valuable lesson I learned is how to prioritize when not being supervised. I also learned how to incorporate others in the conversation or topic we were discussing,” shared Isabella, a student from AFNORTH Middle High School in the Netherlands. “I know that I can be strong by myself but learning how to work with others was a fundamental part of learning how to be a leader, and not overpowering the conversation is what can get me through life."
