The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at the University of Tennessee has partnered with University-Assisted Community Schools to sponsor an engineering club at Pond Gap Elementary School in Knoxville for the past two years. Over that time, the club has taught first through fifth graders a variety of engineering topics and engaged them in fun, interactive activities to strengthen their learning.

Many of the students have attended each week since the club’s founding and are really starting to understand the interconnection that engineering has in our everyday lives.

Current SWE members share the impact of this work:

“It has been so rewarding to see them engage more each week and be excited to learn! We hope that excitement carries with them throughout their school years and that they continue to look at engineering as something fun to learn.”

Inaugural member, Savannah Roth (BESS, ‘23)

 

“I like working with Pond Gap because it allows me to educate kids about STEM and engineering in a fun way. We do activities that translate different genres of engineering to make them relatable and engaging. The students are always eager to learn and participate in the different activities. I love to educate the potential future engineers!”

Julianna Broussard (CS, ‘24)