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Aerospace Bristol hosts day of STEM activities
The Royal Air Force has conducted a day of STEM-based events, designed to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths to 300 children from primary schools across Bristol and beyond.
Young people in Year 5 and 6 attended the occasion at Aerospace Bristol on the historic Filton Airfield. The event was part of the RAF’s national youth engagement programme, which is being expanded in order to celebrate the organisation’s 100 year anniversary.
Members of the RAF Youth and STEM Team guided the schoolchildren through a variety of exercises including programming, making hot air balloons, and designing rocket-propelled model cars.
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Heidi (right) and Elise (left) with their paper plane
Elise and Heidi from Somerton Primary School in Newport, both aged ten, said they enjoyed their day at Aerospace Bristol. Their highlight was making paper airplanes, which they were taught to fold into the ideal proportions for flying.
Heidi said that she had always liked science, but that the day had introduced her to “all the different things you can do in real life”, opening up the world of STEM-based careers.
For RAF Squadron Leader Paul Harrap, who organised the event and was present as one of the instructors, this was the aim of the day. “We hope to encourage the next generation to take STEM subjects at GCSE and beyond, and to help the UK by producing more engineers,” he said.
“All of the activities today are STEM-based and hands-on, so that the kids will hopefully feel engaged and inspired.”
Amy Seadon, learning and community engagement officer for Aerospace Bristol, said: “Today is about helping kids not only to learn about STEM subjects, but to meet people who work in aviation and get a real sense of what their careers involve.
“They interact with both men and women from lots of different backgrounds, making it easier for them to find someone in these professions who they can relate to personally.”
To find out more about more STEM opportunities as part of the Royal Air Force’s centenary year, visit www.raf.mod.uk/raf100/whats-on/stem
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