McCarthy Building Companies is proudly sponsoring a virtual month long STEM Fest program for students in the Parkway School District. The month-long virtual format that students can do at home with their families greatly expands the reach of the annual STEM program sponsored by McCarthy over the past several years. Designed for students in grades K through 12, there is no cost and students may sign up for single or multiple programs.
“The virtual format not only gives students the most flexibility to participate on their own schedule, it also is an opportunity for parents to participate at home with younger kids, as well as introduce parents and kids to STEM professions in-demand industries – like construction,” said Jennifer Abdel-Azim, coordinator of Elementary STEM and Math Intervention for Parkway Schools.
A highlight of McCarthy’s activities is an interactive video that explains the intersection of technology, math and science with construction based on actual construction projects across St. Louis such as the Saint Louis Aquarium at Union Station, the new Mercy Proton Therapy Center at Mercy’s David C. Pratt Center, and Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital. The video is available at https://mbc.box.com/s/sa18jpslxgst0e9gjfwkc7wm2vxxlf78
The STEM Fest program, from February 28 through March 27, 2021, features an imaginative curriculum that challenges kids to solve math problems and learn how science is integrated into their everyday lives through hands-on activities, sustainability challenges, virtual field-trips, coding and computer science. Weekly activities are updated every Saturday morning (Feb. 27, Mar. 5, Mar. 13, Mar. 20, and Mar. 27).
During McCarthy’s featured week students will learn about construction by developing a budget for the new Parkway Central High School Concession Stand, a project that is included in the 2018 Bond Package that McCarthy is currently constructing for the district. This includes reviewing 2D plans and a 3D model to gather dimensions and learn more about construction in an online lesson plan (preview http://www.mccarthyviz.com/stem/).
Parkway’s STEM Fest program this year is co-sponsored by McCarthy and Trane® air conditioning systems, services and solutions. The STEM program reinforces McCarthy’s Partnership for Women, a nationwide initiative to encourage women to consider construction careers, as well as local initiatives such as STL Works. Created by the Regional Business Council and St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation and sponsored by McCarthy, STL Works focuses on increasing awareness among children and their families about STEM career opportunities in the trades, manufacturing, IT, and medical fields.
About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with more than 150 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 9th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2020). With approximately 5,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis, Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Dallas, Houston; and San Diego, Newport Beach, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com or by following the company on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
