In a weekend full of great Portland events, Maseeh College Ambassadors spent ours at the Portland Mini Maker Faire. At our booth, kids and their families had the opportunity to speak with MESA students about their projects, learn about different electrical components, and look in awe at the Portland State Aerospace Society’s (PSAS) rocket.
Kids spent anywhere from two to fifteen minutes playing with squishy circuits - essentially a conductive play dough connected to a power source with LED lights, buzzers, and motors used to complete the circuit. Kids ages three and up loved making different shapes and trying out what did and didn’t work. Some of them even knew more about this stuff than we did, and they informed me of all the cool technology they’ve been working on at home or in school.
About 100 different groups were set up to show their latest gadgets and projects. Next to our booth was a blacksmith who was letting kids try on full armor and hold various different types of swords. Farther down the OMSI parking lot were a bunch of pirates shooting off cannon blanks, making loud booms that could be disguised by the thunder and lightning in the sky.
The weekend was a blast, and despite the unpredictable weather, our booth was packed from 10-5. Watching the kids get so excited about things in the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) field is great, and all the parents and people around them were so supportive. No doubt some of these kids will get involved in engineering and computer science, and this weekend helped show that Portland State will be a great option for them when they’re ready.
If you would like to connect with the Student Ambassador team or are interested in scheduling a tour of Maseeh College or please contact Yerewelle de Rouen, Recruitment and Outreach Advisor at 503-725-5030 orderouen@cecs.pdx.edu for more information.