More than 100 local students have joined with Canisius University to learn about women in STEM.
The event Wednesday was part of Girls Who Game, an annual initiative across the U.S. that blends video games with learning. Lessons at Canisius involved hands-on lessons with biology, insects and other STEM topics for fourth to eighth grade girls.
Buffalo Public Schools Student Technology Coordinator Amy Burdette says using Minecraft to build what they just learned about keeps students engaged.
“All the kids like Minecraft, and they don't even realize that they're learning. They think they're playing, they think they're having fun," she said. "And really, what they're doing is using the design thinking process, and they are collaborating with each other, and they are growing and learning in ways that they don't even realize. It's phenomenal.”
The annual initiative is also important because it provides students with a glimpse into what’s available and accessible after high school, Canisius University Director of Educational Partnerships Elizabeth Turner said.
“We love bringing our community members onto our campus, and especially those fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders that probably have never set foot on this campus, and really just get to see what school looks like at an older level,” she said.
Local students have taken their efforts to the national stage as well, placing first, third and honorable mention for all groups across the U.S. The event originally was started by Dell Technologies and Microsoft around five years ago.
