Triniti Dismon was captivated walking into STEM Fest. The 12th-grader's interest was certainly piqued by a demonstration involving a bubbling plume of sub-zero cryogenic CO2 smoke – and she also experienced a community come together to learn about the convergence of science and health care, and how it will help connect young students with their future careers.
Charlotte-area students like Triniti, from Kindergarten through 12th grade, experienced all this and more at the inaugural STEM Fest, hosted at The Howard R. Levine Center for Education at The Pearl Innovation District.
This vibrant, family-friendly celebration of the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering and math – served as the first community-based event hosted by The Pearl, introducing attendees of all ages to STEM Lab, The Pearl’s preeminent K-12 education program.
A core mission of STEM Lab is to introduce students to a wide range of STEM careers, including roles they may not have known existed. By connecting young people with industry experts and real-world problems, STEM Lab helps students envision new possibilities for their futures and prepares them to lead in tomorrow’s workforce.
Triniti is a senior at Hawthorne Academy of Health Sciences, where a $26.3 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies has helped Atrium Health and its Carolinas College of Health Sciences successfully launch the new early college program with Hawthorne. The program prepares high school students for well-paying careers in health care and addresses local education and health care talent needs.
Triniti and her classmates had already put those skills to use by designing an exhibit for STEM Fest about adaptive fashion – modifying apparel to make dressing easier for individuals with disabilities or mobility challenges.
While at STEM Fest, Triniti was also excited to learn more about her future career options.
“Any time I step foot into The Pearl I am learning about a new career and it’s absolutely wonderful seeing what the health care field really has to offer,” says Triniti, who has ambitions to become a pediatric neurosurgeon. “STEM Fest showed me how collaboration really works career-wise. You could be in sales and still be in the medical field.”
STEM Lab was on full display during the celebration, as The Pearl transformed into a dynamic learning playground, featuring three floors of interactive STEM exhibits and demonstrations, hands-on activities, and immersive experiences that showcase the convergence and future of health and science. The gears of curiosity turned as the event inspired the hundreds of young students and their families who attended.
“By opening our doors and bringing hands-on STEM experiences to students and families across Charlotte, we’re laying the foundation for a future where curiosity, creativity and collaboration drive discovery,” says Dr. Richard Cox, director of district education innovations & partnerships at The Pearl. “Our hope is that every child – no matter their background – who visits The Pearl leaves inspired to dream bigger and take their own step into STEM.”
Students had opportunities to discover lifesaving techniques and other innovative emergency care solutions developed by Stryker, a strategic partner of IRCAD North America’s cutting-edge experiential education center at The Pearl. Siemens Healthineers, also a fellow strategic partner of IRCAD North America, hosted a “block party,” where students used Lego-style bricks to complete tasks such as building a new type of diagnostic machine and creating a solution to a health care challenge.
From stitching up simulated wounds to programming robots to life, building an electrical circuit and so much more — students also dove into hands-on adventures at exhibits powered by Atrium Health, Discovery Place, Dottie Rose Foundation, Innovation Barn, Queen City Robotics, and The Do-Gooders Group.
STEM Fest was also brought to life by more than 100 volunteers from Atrium Health, our partner organizations and throughout the Charlotte community.
Many high school students, like Triniti, also served as volunteers at the event from The Pearl’s partner schools – Cabarrus Health Sciences Institute, Hawthorne Academy of Health Sciences and Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology. Kindergarten through 8th grade students from Dorothy J. Vaughan Academy of Technology also attended the celebration.
STEM Lab has been in development for years, through generous support from Truist Bank and the federal government and formal partnerships with Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Schools, Cabarrus County Schools and additional collaborations in development statewide.
Built in partnership with the community – for the community – STEM Lab connects students with learning opportunities both at The Pearl and directly in their school classrooms. This approach ensures that every student, regardless of location, has access to transformative STEM opportunities.
For Triniti, STEM Fest was another step closer to the possibilities ahead.
“Technology is ever-growing and it’s amazing to know that I will not only be able to learn about the new technology but also use it,” says Triniti. “Everything about The Pearl is innovative. It’s a great place for creative thinking. The STEM Lab is a fantastic representation of that. To be a part of that means getting closer and closer to my dreams of being a pediatric neurosurgeon.”
