Youth STEM Program Takes Home Awards

Young students learning the fundamentals of engineering through a unique outreach program run by the Chicago State University Engineering Studies Program took home several awards at the Ten80 Education Student Racing Challenge STEM Initiative, held by the National Society of Black Engineers in Boston, Mass. 

For the second straight year, the CSU-sponsored BEA5T Team received 1st Place Awards during the competition and was named the Grand Champion.  

The Pre-Freshman Program in Engineering and Science at Chicago State University is an outreach program for pre-college students.   The program is run by the Office of Engineering Studies at Chicago State University and supported by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), the CSU Foundation and the CSU Center for STEM Education and Research.  

The goal of the PREP Program is to use the educational resources of Chicago State University to have a positive impact on pre-college students beyond just the walls of the classrooms by helping future college graduates build a strong foundation in science and technology. The next generation of students will need to be more literate in science and technology based jobs in order to compete in the global economy and programs like PREP are a great way to get young people started early on a path that will lead to lucrative careers in STEM based industries.

The CSU PREP/STEM program invites pre-college students to Saturday classes at CSU where they are exposed to science, technology, engineering, and math activities.   One such activity is the Ten80 Student Racing Challenge, where students work together in teams to build electric radio controlled cars that are used to simulate professional race competitions.  The exercise gives students hands-on education in electronic engineering, aerodynamic and mechanical design and renewable energy while also teaching them about the importance of collaboration and project management.