Molokai Participates in STEM Conference

MEDB News Release

Molokai students present their various community projects to the judges during the 2014 Hawaii STEM Conference. Photo courtesy MEDB.

The sixth Annual Hawaii STEM Conference attracts state’s brightest STEM stars and prominent event partners Microsoft, NASA and other prestigious local, national partners join the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) for an empowering STEM event.

April 17-18, hundreds of students and educators throughout the state and industry professionals, offering some of the most innovative technologies in the world, will converge on the island of Maui. Held at the Wailea Marriott Resort, this popular event empowers students and educators with first-hand exposure to advanced technologies, the latest software training, and real world challenges in the form of fun, hands-on team competitions.

This year, Molokai Middle Hawaiian Immersion Program, Molokai Middle School, and Molokai High Hawaii Immersion Program will be among the 30 intermediate and high schools participating. More than 500 students and teachers across the islands are expected to attend. For many, it will be their first experience at a regional technology conference, complete with 31 student breakout sessions, 12 software competitions, a formal awards banquet, and exhibit presentations.

Since it began in 2009, the Hawaii STEM Conference has grown in stature and popularity, annually attracting prominent national partners and sponsorship from top tech companies like Google, National Geographic, Apple for Education, SketchUp, Opterra and ESRI. This year, the Conference welcomes for the first time Microsoft and NASA.

Kicking off the event on Friday, a timed, high-energy mixer – the 5 x 5 Sessions – will give students the opportunity to engage five different STEM industry professionals every five minutes to learn about STEM career pathways, personal experiences and insights.

Throughout the two days, hands-on student sessions will be offered by education teams and industry experts. There will also be professional development sessions designed just for teachers to motivate and increase STEM learning in the classroom.

The event is sponsored by MEDB’s Women in Technology (WIT) project in partnership with the County of Maui.

“Events like this attest to the power of STEM,” said Isla Young, WIT Program Director. “Our hope is that by empowering our students – our future STEM stars – and educators with STEM abilities they can apply these skills to service-learning projects that can impact our community, if not the world.”

For more information on the 2015 Hawaii STEM Conference, visit womenintech.com/HawaiiSTEMConference or contact Young at isla@medb.org or 808-250-2888.