WORCESTER, Mass. — Getting middle school students excited about science can be a challenge.
However, it’s needed more than ever.
In the most recent MCAS results, only a third of the state’s 8th graders met or surpassed expectations in science.
The Engineering Ambassadors program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute is one way to engage younger students with STEM-related fields.
“We want our middle school students to understand what STEM is and understand that what they might want to do is STEM. Oftentimes, we hear from our students, I want to be a video game designer, but I didn’t know that was STEM. We really make that connection here by doing activities like they’re doing today,” said James Guaragna, associate director of pre-collegiate outreach at the Worcester school.
Under the guidance of current WPI students who are in the ambassador program, students from Clinton Middle School recently built models of roller coasters and learned the difference between potential and kinetic energy in the process.
After taking part, Myles Michaud said he’d like to be an electrical engineer someday.
Freya Bech is now eyeing a career at NASA.
Emma St. Clair, a student of mechanical engineering, is one of the ambassadors.
“Honestly, I have learned way better presentation skills, and how to present myself, as well as the ability to work with younger children, and just sharing something I love with the younger generation.”
Aidan Civittolo is majoring in electrical and computer engineering.
“This seemed like a great way to combine my passions for engineering with the ability to give back and give kids that same opportunity that I had, which ultimately led me to become an engineer.”
Students spend the entire day on campus and learn all about college life. They go on a tour, eat lunch in the cafeteria, and learn the ‘how-tos’ of applying to any kind of higher educational facility.
Guaragna was a first-generation student and knows that an experience like this can open doors.
“We just had an ambassador graduate last year who went to a middle school STEM experience when she was in the 7th grade, and she admits that before going into that, she wasn’t sure about STEM, and this experience really transformed her so that she came to WPI. Now she’s in the workforce in Boston.”
Harold Ogilvie, a teacher at Clinton Middle School, thinks his students respond to interacting with the ambassadors.
“I could sit in front of them and tell them about it all day, and they’ll be like, yeah, OK, so that’s great, you’re old, you don’t know what you’re talking about, but these kids really listen to these college kids, and they’re able to understand just a little bit better.”
More than 40 WPI students volunteer as ambassadors. They host about 3,600 middle schoolers a year.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
