26 December 2020 - The STEMUp Educational Foundation has successfully commenced “Electronics for Kids”, their latest initiative aimed at encouraging young children to broaden their knowledge and pave the way for them to enter a career in Scientific, Technological, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM).
The first Electronics for Kids session was live streamed on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter on 29 November while the second session was held on 6 December. The sessions, conducted by industry experts, were tailor-made for children from Grade 6 and above from across the island and were held in Sinhala medium to reach a wider audience. A total of around 100 students from all parts of the country were able to participate in the two sessions while the Foundation expects more students to participate in the upcoming sessions to be held in the future. Given that there has been a very positive response to the first two sessions, once the COVID-19 pandemic is sufficiently controlled in the country, the Foundation plans to expand the program courtesy of in-person sessions that will be held throughout the country.
Children are known to be gifted with the power to invent and achieve amazing technological feats at a young age. It is through creative play that they learn how to exploit these skills. Even at a very young age, children have the ability to learn new skills that have the potential to lay the foundation for future knowledge growth in a particular field and career prospects. They have a natural curiosity about them and are always ready to learn new things whenever they have the chance. Parents should understand this trait and encourage them to try out new things that have long-term educational benefits. Among the many skills that they can be taught at a young age, taking into account the high-tech world of today, one of the most important foundational skills is to teach them a basic understanding of electronics. While modern technology can seem too complex to teach children, the world of electronics is the ideal stepping stone for them to enter into the field. Electronics is essential for children to understand the world of computing and robotics.
Sharing his thoughts about the new initiative, Prabhath Mannapperuma - Director of STEMUp Educational Foundation stated, “Today, children around the world have access to various electronics devices like laptops, desktops, and smartphones. They have everything at their fingertips thanks to these devices and parents should be aware of how they can encourage their children to learn more about this field. Knowing that the future is becoming synonymous with technology, the Electronics for Kids program has helped young minds to become active consumers, and contribute to technology in the right manner, instead of staying mere passive users.”
Expressing his views, Rangika Ranasinghe - Program Leader of Electronics for Kids stated, “STEMUp Educational Foundation’s Electronics for Kids initiative has taken children on an exciting journey through the world of electronics. It has efficiently guided them through the basics in a step-by-step manner, keeping them engaged and making them capable of building simple circuits by the time the program is over.”
The STEMUp Educational Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire and engage students to become interested in pursuing Scientific, Technological, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM) degrees and careers. The organization’s mission is fulfilled through the programs and resources they offer to the Sri Lankan community. The Foundation has educational opportunities and resources for all. Most of its resources are also offered free-of-charge as a part of the vision of becoming a national model for passionate support for STEM education.
Contacts:
Contact Name: Rangika Ranasinghe
Address: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0762002482
Website: http://stemup.lk