The University of Mount Olive welcomed more than 800 third-grade students to the 7th annual STEM on the Green event. (UMO photos)
MOUNT OLIVE — The University of Mount Olive (UMO) welcomed more than 800 energetic third graders from Wayne and Duplin counties for a fun-filled day of learning at the 7th Annual STEM on the Green event. Held on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, the event provided hands-on activities and engaging demonstrations designed to ignite curiosity and foster a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The event ran from 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., featuring 36 interactive STEM activities designed to engage young learners in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students enjoyed a variety of experiences, with rocket launches between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. as a highlight of the day. This year introduced exciting new activities, including the Monarch Migration Game, Reptile-palooza, the UMO STEM Derby, and What’s Buggin You?, which captured the students’ imagination and enthusiasm.
Students from nine local elementary schools attended the event, including Carver, Fremont, Tommy’s Road, Northwest, Rosewood, North Duplin, Warsaw, Kenansville, and BF Grady Elementary Schools.
Community and industry partners provided additional depth to the event with special demonstrations. The UMO Flight School offered insights into aviation, Mount Olive Pickle presented food science concepts, Steele Memorial Library facilitated literacy-based STEM activities, and the Wake Tech Bio Club engaged students in biology-focused experiments. Students also experienced hands-on demonstrations from the Mount Olive Volunteer Fire Department, WNCT Weather Van, and a popular K-9 unit presentation.
University President Dr. H. Edward Croom praised the event’s success, noting the enthusiasm of the participants. “STEM on the Green reflects UMO’s commitment to community engagement and our goal to inspire students to explore STEM fields at an early age. We are grateful to all the volunteers, teachers, and community partners who made this day possible.”
The University of Mount Olive remains committed to providing transformative educational opportunities that extend beyond the classroom, fostering lifelong learning and community connections.
