Black & Veatch Mentoring Program
The Black & Veatch Mentoring Program pairs engineers from Black & Veatch with students in Kansas City schools to increase awareness of STEM careers and engineering concepts. The engineers present hands-on workshops with the students. During the classroom workshops, the visiting Black & Veatch mentors give an overview of each topic and guide the students in activities to reinforce the concepts for that session. Students work in teams of five on three different timed projects.
Kansas City PBS has partnered with Black & Veatch to expand the number of schools involved and to give teachers access to KCPBS LearningMedia before the in-class workshops, allowing them to prepare with the help of thousands of digital resources. The program has now been in 95 elementary schools and mentored over 5,610 fifth graders in structural, electrical and water engineering.
Showcase
Engineering mentors worked with teams of students during two-hour sessions at participating schools. Activities ranged from building a bridge with toothpicks and marshmallows, learning how to filter dirty water and a basic overview of electricity and circuits.
BR 5th gr works with @KCPT and @Black_Veatch to discover effects of chemicals on ground water. #nkcschools@BRES_Bearspic.twitter.com/ek2s8ppbrO
— Kate Place (@kecplace) November 16, 2016
Such a fun morning at Mckinley Elementary School! B&V professionals got the students minds turning w/this #STEM activity! @KCPT@GaryBrock2pic.twitter.com/N2Wo72MgWz
— Black & Veatch (@Black_Veatch) October 12, 2016
Thank you @Black_Veatch & @KCPT for teaching us about water treatment engineering and teamwork today! #sperocks#pumapride#wearebssdpic.twitter.com/rSkDrGhcgu
— Sunny Pointe (@BSSDSPE) November 17, 2016
@KCPT, Black&Veatch, &St.Teresa's shared engineering mentors & 5th gr future engineers collaborated, created & struggled! @BRES_Bearspic.twitter.com/Unn8ghfO0J
— Kate Place (@kecplace) November 2, 2016