Middle schoolers complete after-school STEM program with Airline Hydraulics
La Salle Academy, a private, independent Catholic grade school in North Philadelphia, celebrated its successful partnership with Airline Hydraulics, a local manufacturing company, for an educational after- school STEM program designed for 7th graders.
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The program, led by Ed Brogan, application technology specialist at Airline Hydraulics, gave students hands-on experience in the basics of industrial computer systems that control sensors and monitor devices known as programmable logic controller (PLC) programming.
The program began with the fundamentals of wiring and assembling electronic components and explaining the difference between DC electronics and AC power. Throughout the course, students learned how to program a traffic light intersection simulator.
"The students are wonderful," said Brogan. "It was a fantastic experience for me, and I think it was an enjoyable experience for them, especially after a long school day, we would get up and move to the application room for hands-on activities. That was the key to the class—it had to be hands-on."
The program's practical applications made complex concepts relatable to the students. In addition to the traffic light demo, they learned how to write programs to stimulate a mixer, like those used in making slushies at convenience stores. This method ensures students are learning and thoroughly engaging with the material.
Students loved the program.
"For me, it was really about the building. Once I figured out how to program it, it was less confusing," said Sherrell, a participant. "Mr. Brogan explained it well, and I got the hang of it."
Angel, another student, said, "It was really great. We did programs to make a traffic light, and it was actually kind of fun. It took a lot of work, but it was worth it."
Michael ShackelfordPeña-Taylor II, a 7th-grade teacher at La Salle Academy, emphasized the program's importance: "This was a great experience for the class. It was a blessing that Airline Hydraulics was able to come in and do this for us. It helped kickstart our engineering curriculum and opened up new possibilities for our students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM fields."
The program ended with a pizza-party celebration featuring professionals from Airline Hydraulics, including Mark Steffens, CEO, Martin Migliori, fluid systems engineering manager, and Joelle Andres-Beck, fluid systems engineer. They shared inspiring stories about their career paths and demonstrated the use of a 3D printer, which left the students intrigued and excited about engineering.
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