MAHANOY CITY, Pa. — What used to be a library is now the STEM lab in the Mahanoy Area School District.
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math.
A program that used to be an afterschool club at Mahanoy Area is now part of every student's curriculum, thanks to a new room.
“It's important for more people to see there's more out there than what they think there is. Like, there's more opportunities here than what in most normal classrooms,” said sophomore Kyle Pollack.
From robots to virtual reality devices, every student at Mahanoy Area now has access to top-of-the-line technology right at their fingertips.
“It gives them new opportunities. There's a 3-D printer back there, and some people have never seen one in person before. They get to mess with one now,” explained senior Jacob Irvin.
While the STEM program at Mahanoy Area is growing, it's already inspired students to pursue a career in a STEM field.
"It's what interests me the most, and it's something unique. And it's also something that lacks representation for women, and it's something cool to go into,” said eighth grader Tegan Kane.
It's helped sophomore Elijah Nieves realize that he wants to go to college. He tells Newswatch 16 that he always struggled with science and math but now thrives in the STEM lab.
“The moment I found STEM, everything just clicked for me. We were doing 3-D printing, we were doing shirts, we were building things out of wood, we were laser printing,” he said.
Nieves added that feels confident in himself as a student because of STEM.
“I hope people can experience how I feel during STEM class, and it's honestly a really good experience. I want other kids to come out to see what STEM is really all about,” Nieves said.
Just like the former library, the STEM lab is named after former State Senator James J. Rhoades, who worked at Mahanoy Area as a teacher, football coach, and principal.
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