A great emphasis has been placed in educational and political circles on motivating students to study the STEM fields. STEM stand for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. According to the U.S. Government’s Education website, internationally, the U.S. is falling behind rapidly in the STEM fields, “Only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career. Even among those who do go on to pursue a college major in the STEM fields, only about half choose to work in a related career. The United States is falling behind internationally, ranking 25th in mathematics and 17th in science among industrialized nations. In our competitive global economy, this situation is unacceptable.”
STEM + Art = STEAM
STEAM is a movement championed by Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and widely adopted by institutions, corporations and individuals. The inclusion of the Arts (and Design) in the STEM paradigm is crucial. The Arts folks are Makers: creators of the physical world we live in. RISD President John Maeda states, “my experience as the President of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has reawakened me to the world of physical creation. RISD is the ultimate culture of makers. There is no greater integrity, no greater goal achieved, than an idea articulately expressed through something made with your hands. We call this constant dialogue between eye, mind, and hand “critical thinking — critical making.”
Albuquerque Makers
We are fortunate to have the organizers of Albuquerque Mini Maker Faire will be on-hand at the Rail Yards Market this Sunday (August 17) to lead our Educational Zones!
At the Live Art Zone we will be showcasing 3D Printing. The Pop Up Art Zone will be demoing – Old School Photography and darkroom education. The Sustainability Zone will feature Living with and Growing your own food. The Kiddos will learn how to take things apart (as if they needed our help) and discover how they work in reverse along with other fun surprises at the Children’s Zone!
Other Makers
Musicians, Poets, Actors, Dancers are all Makers as well! We have a wide variety of entertainers on our Main and Community Stages including but not limited to (complete schedule):
- Morning Movement with Reba: Yoga and stretching for everyone regardless of level or age
- Albuquerque Latin Dance Festival: Entertainers and Instructors will be there to demonstrate and teach
- National known music group Peg Leg Joe will be bringing their Southwestern brand of Folk to the Main Stage
- RYM Favorites the Albuquerque Aerialist Collective will be performing their gravity-defying stunts on the Main Stage
Makers come in all shapes in sizes and from all walks of life. At the Rail Yards Market we welcome and celebrate the innovation and creativity it take to make something. Come see us this Sunday, August 17 from 9 am to 3 pm and get inspired to start making STEAM with us!
See You Sunday!
Alex Paramo is an Author and Co-Founder of Community Publishing. Community Publishing brings local artists of all mediums together in creative collaborations for distribution as multimedia eBooks while promoting literacy in our communities.
We are proud to be a community partner and digital marketer at the Rail Yards Market.#JoinOurCommunity at http://communitypublishing.org
Market.#JoinOurCommunity at http://communitypublishing.org
