Even before the ribbon cutting for Pease Elementary School’s new STEM Center Friday, students were happily learning with their Bee-Bots and Ozobots and working on circuits.
“They absolutely love it,” Pease Principal Micah Arrott said. “The opportunities that these kids are going to have that they weren’t going to have otherwise is amazing. Being able to collaborate with others, problem solve, engage in the work, be creative; all of those things we did not have. A lot of people did this for us, so from the bottom of our hearts, 600 little hearts, I want to thank PSP and the Ripken Foundation because without this opportunity these kids would not have this.”
Seven-year-old second grader Emiliano Escarcega said he thinks the lab is “so cool.” He likes the Bee Bots, Legos and dominoes.
The lab is the result of a partnership between the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and the Permian Strategic Partnership. It includes state-of-the-art STEM educational products, technology, furniture, and more for students of the local communities.
The Pease STEM center is one of 134 to be installed over the next five years — and one of 50 to be installed in 2022 — through the $7.5 million partnership between the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and PSP announced earlier this year. It will reach over 60,000 students and 2,000 teachers in 22 counties, a news release said.
Ector County ISD Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Lilia Nanez said the impact of this multi-district gift cannot be overstated. Officials from Midland and Monahans were on hand.
“This is a collaborative effort,” Nanez said. “We had training right in this room with teachers from across the Permian Basin — Crane, Monahans, Andrews, and of course, ECISD just a few weeks ago to prepare the teachers to bring these STEM labs to life for all of our children. It is incredible to watch and you can see for yourself how quickly students comprehend the complex systems within the STEM labs. These experiences create the memory within each student, no matter what school they attend; no matter which neighborhood they live in” and open up so many opportunities for them.
PSP President and CEO Tracee Bentley introdued PSP Chairman Don Evans and noted that two board members flew in especially for the occasion. A representative from Pioneer also was there.
“Thanks to this collaboration, we can bring world-class instruction and educational resources to the students of the Permian Basin. The Pease Elementary STEM center will provide students with the opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and math in a very hands-on environment, as you can see. Through project-based learning, students can apply what they’re learning in the classroom to real-world problems. It will not only teach them problem-solving skills, but also to help them grow in learning, teamwork, successful communication, creativity, leadership and entrepreneurship,” Bentley said.
Additionally, she said the STEM center will expose students to careers that they may not have learned about otherwise. Pease will become known for preparing its students for success in the 21st century workforce.
“The importance of investing in education has never been more apparent. In a rapidly changing world, students must learn the skills they need to prepare for the future workforce. This is especially true right here in the Permian Basin. We’ve seen an improvement in the quality of education in our region, but more is needed to prepare our students for the ever-growing workforce. And grow it will. The Permian Basin’s prominence is rising as the demand for clean and safe, reliable energy supplies grows,” Bentley said.
“Currently, this region accounts for nearly 8 percent of the Texas GDP and more than 700,000 jobs nationwide. By 2025, 40 percent of U.S. oil production will come from right here in the Permian Basin. To reach such incredible output, the Permian will create 50,000 new jobs requiring math, science, engineering and critical thinking skills,” she added.
“By training the next generation of workers in science, technology, engineering and math, we can ensure that the Permian Basin remains a vital part of the global economy for years and years to come,” Bentley said.
Steve Salem, president and CEO of the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, said Cal and Billy Ripken started the foundation in honor of their father, Cal Ripken Sr.
Salem said Cal Ripken Sr. was a great mentor to many young athletes and young people during his professional coaching career with the Baltimore Orioles system.
“The Ripken Foundation’s mission is to impact the lives of kids from sports, recreation and educational programs to provide opportunities while also keeping kids safe in the communities where they live across the country,” Salem said.
“About six year go, we noticed a gap in services to kids. Young people like this did not have access to these critically important STEM lessons, programs and opportunities. And so we took that as a challenge. We looked for partners. We’re so fortunate to meet all of you, and today, we have installed 259 STEM centers across the country, including 50 this fall in the Permian Basin. Forty-eight are complete and the last two for this year will be over the next month. Next year, we’ll add another 50 here in the Permian Basin, and then in 2024, an additional 34, bringing the total to 134 and we hope that’s just the beginning …,” Salem added.
The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation staff will train teachers to deliver a STEM program with custom-designed STEM lessons and educational STEM products, as well as furniture and technology. The Ripken Foundation provides training, a lesson guidebook, educational products and technology to enhance the tools provided in the STEM Center, a news release said.
This effort alone in the Basin will impact 60,000 students immediately and that number will continue to grow as new children come into the school system, Salem said.
Ripken said they lost Cal Ripken Sr. at age 63. He was a coach, and in many ways, a teacher and “we tried to capture the legacy of what Dad’s life represented in the development of kids through baseball … because we all know that there’s a lot of valuable lessons that you can learn through sports.”
Ripken added that his father really cared. He used baseball to “get in front of kids” and offer free clinics in all the different towns that he managed in “because he wanted to give them the benefit of what sports would provide.”
It was in their dad’s spirit that Ripken and his brother Billy started the foundation.
“We immediately started to help kids through baseball. Dad had this ability to make kids feel kid about themselves” and encourage them to do things and try things, Ripken said.
Along the way, they discovered that STEM is a lot like sports. “Dad really believes in exposing kids to different things in life, to find out what they love to do,” Ripken said.
Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s record by playing in 2,632 straight games.
“And I can tell you the reason that I did that was because I loved every minute of what I did as a baseball player,” Ripken said. “I think the key to success, and especially in a parenting sort of way, because I parent two kids as well, is that you want to expose your kids to things and see what lights them up. Whatever lights them up, you want them to follow that path,” Ripken said.
Evans, chairman of PSP, said the area has to keep a laser focus on education.
“It’s just wonderful to see these kids starting at such a young age. …,” Evans said.
