The joy of being a rocking presenter; Intrepid volunteers bring MEC K-12 Outreach program to Utah

Phase two of the Minerals Education Coalition (MEC) K-12 Outreach pilot program rolled into Utah in August 2023 after two successful years in Colorado. The MEC Utah team relied on local SME Section members, Women in Mining (WiM) and University of Utah students to make presentations in K-12 classrooms. Since the launch of this pilot program in Utah, 32 mining and mineral presentations have been completed. The MEC K-12 Outreach program goal is simple: Teach K-12 students about the importance of mining. I am excited to inspire curiosity and a love for learning about mining and minerals in K-12 classrooms. Stepping into an elementary school classroom as a guest mineral scientist presenter is like walking into a whole new world. Armed with a hard hat, safety glasses, safety vest and safety toe boots, looking more like I walked across the street from a construction site than a legitimate scientist, I strolled into a Utah 4th-grade classroom, greeted by a chorus of shrieks, giggles and only one attempt to trip me. “They’re all yours!” the teacher boomed, so let’s start the show. One kid raised his hand and asked if I was a “real miner” or “just a pretend one.” (Note to self: show up with coal smeared all over me next time.) I shared the beauty of our natural resources while passing around rocks and explained that nearly everything we use requires mining. There were some skeptical stares. “Do we still need to mine?” a student asked. I pulled out the big guns: Oreos, enough for all of them. The mere mention of a cookie snapped every tiny head to attention. “Can I eat it?” asked one boy, to which I replied, “Iron, halite, phosphate, trona, titanium and gypsum … yum yum.” Smiles all around. Being told you’re their favorite rock star was better than the “Thanks for the cookie, next time bring donuts” comment. Walking out of the classroom, I felt invigorated and somehow triumphant, looking forward to the next Friday afternoon presentation to second-graders. You, too, can be a rock star. Read about the MEC K-12 Outreach Pilot Program at https://mineralseducationcoalition.org/mec-outreach-program, and find more helpful information on how to get into classrooms with MEC presentation resources at https://mineralseducationcoalition.org/outreach-awareness/mec-presentation-resources/. Check them out and have a blast!

The joy of being a rocking presenter; Intrepid volunteers bring MEC K-12 Outreach program to Utah

Authored by: Wendi Cooksey, MEC Outreach Subcommittee Chair

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To view the past issues of the UCA magazine you must be a member of SME/UCA.

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