Snow couldn’t stop the show this time.
Tioga’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America hosted its first Women in STEM Career Day for second to eighth graders in the elementary school library March 26.
“It’s been definitely a labor of love,” Tioga’s FCCLA Adviser Christi Crowe said, describing Emily Ballinger and Lacie Gray’s project.
The event was originally set for January but had to be postponed due to Winter Storm Fern.
Ballinger and Gray had to quickly pivot to find another date that worked for the presenters, teachers and students, ultimately settling on the March date.
Despite the stress and long hours it took to plan, the students said it was worth it.
“It makes me so proud that we were able to get this many people here,” Ballinger said.
The idea to host a career day event was sparked in December after Ball- inger and Gray asked a group of kids if they were interested in pursuing STEM careers.
Only a few of the girls expressed interest, something the pair took note of and wanted to change, Crowe said.
“These kids, they can do big things and go really far, farther than what they might believe is possible in a small town,” Gray said.
FCCLA members guided students to various tables to learn about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics from women in STEM, including Broadcast Meteorologist Amber Nowaski with KTEN NEWS; Medical Laboratory Scientist and Tioga alum Leanna Crowe Mack; and Senior Service Engineer Kauana Gomes with Peterbilt Motors.
Former student Danielle Lintner returned to talk to the students about her career as a flight instructor and pilot.
“It’s cool to be able to show people what they can do in life, because I had no clue this was even an option,” Linter said.
Being there brought back memories and familiar faces for Linter as she recalled teaching some of the students in the Early Childhood Development Center.
“To see how much the school has grown and to see how these kids are thriving, it’s just exciting to see,” Linter said.
As the students rotated throughout the morning by grade level, teachers like Megan Chambers and Gretchen Flint, who both teach fourth grade, watched their students light up as they participated.
Both women agreed how beneficial events like these are to the students, as it prompts the students to get curious and ask more questions, which is what they were looking forward to after the event.
“Stuff like that is new for us here, and it’s opening up lines of communication that we didn’t have before, and I’m excited to see where that takes us,” Flint said.
Ballinger and Gray will present their project at the state FCCLA competition in April.
