“Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of the imagination.” -John Dewey
What is STEAM?
STEM has become a widely-known acronym representing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In recent years, a new term has gained traction – STEAM. STEAM encompasses all of the same subjects but also includes the Arts. “STEAM focuses on sparking imagination and creativity through the arts in ways that naturally align with STEM learning.” This ranges from visual arts, language arts and physical arts to music and more.(National Inventors Hall of Fame)
A FIRST STEAM story
Isabelle Baker is a FIRST alum from Kokomo, Indiana who stumbled into the ‘A’ in STEAM. She joined a FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) team in middle school. Then in high school, she joined First Robotics Competition Team #3940 CyberTooth.
During her time on the team, Isabelle held different roles including Marketing Director and Vice President of Communication. It was these positions that introduced her to the world of design and, overtime, she began to like it. Attending each meeting allowed her the opportunity to get creative and actualize new ideas. She made new materials like logos, flyers, and videos to represent the team.
Due to this experience, Isabelle decided to pursue Graphic Design and Marketing at the collegiate level. She’s attending Indiana University, a state school with an impressive art program and world-renowned business school. She takes design classes – studying layouts, fonts, software, and branding for products and programs. And, she attends the Kelly School of Business – where she studies marketing.
“Without FIRST, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to explore my career options and passion. I was able to discover my love for design without even knowing it [existed].”
Isabelle Baker (far left), FRC 3940 Cybertooth