Tommy Lewis always wanted to build something that can impact society. The Omaha North High School senior, and his teammates Jake Ferrin and Priamwad Pordel, are now realizing this dream through a project that began in their high school engineering class.
Their project, a motorcycle helmet with light sensors, was one of many on display at the April 20 Project Lead the Way Nebraska State Conference. The theme of the conference, “Connecting the STEM Pipeline: From Elementary to Enterprise,” was designed to advance students’ education and opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Hosted by CYFS affiliate Sally Wei, the event brought together more than 150 teachers, administrators, school counselors, university professors and industry representatives. The conference included 16 informational breakout sessions, networking opportunities and a keynote address by Olympian Curt Tomasevicz, UNL electrical engineering lecturer.
Participants received information about Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a leading provider of K-12 STEM programs. One of the goals of the conference, Wei said, is to get STEM curriculum into the hands of teachers and to get them excited about teaching it to their students.
The conference also drew non-traditional teachers, including “mad scientist” Dan Glomski, senior educator with the Edgerton Explorit Center. He and his team provide interactive science demonstrations to 170,000 students each year, and he is interested in integrating PLTW curriculum into their program.
Deb Hamling, a recruiter for the Nebraska Public Power District, attended the conference to learn more about STEM issues in education and to share what her company looks for in engineers. Communication is an important skill, she said, as engineers work closely with project management employees.
No one understands this better than the team of Omaha North seniors, as they presented their motorcycle helmet to conference attendees. Their idea, which started as a PLTW school project, now has donor support, pending patents and a promising market entry. They hope their helmet can revolutionize motorcycle safety worldwide.
“All ideas have to start somewhere,” senior Jake Ferrin said. “We couldn’t have done this without the connections and resources provided by our school.”
