Brooklyn High School Students Get Hands On, High-Tech STEAM Experience At New Lab
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A new program designed to give nearly 200 Brooklyn high school students firsthand knowledge in "STEAM" is launching today.
That stands for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
Innovative companies and cutting edge technology are now at student's fingertips. From Farmshelf, which builds indoor farms, to Artiphon.
"Everything here grows here with no soil, no sunlight," said a Farmshelf representative.
"Digital multi instrument, you can play it like a violin, piano, drum pad, guitar. Plugs into your phone, iPad or computer so you basically have a recording studio to take with you whenever you want," said Jacob Gordon of Artiphon.
These are just some of the companies Brooklyn high school students will work with at New Lab, which houses over 130 startups in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
New Lab, in a partnership with the New York City Department of Education and Microsoft will give students hands-on experience across a diverse array of STEAM fields.
"Really a way to have students and founders in technology interact in a peer-to-peer way," said co-founder of New Lab David Belt.
Some 180 juniors and seniors from seven Brooklyn high schools are taking part in the experience.
"I would like to go for computer engineering," said high school junior Muhammad Rehman. "I think this will give me real life experience, help my communication skills in real life."
The program which is called "HE3AT" will allow students like Muhammad to step out of the classroom and explore the impact of technology on health care, energy, education, environment and agriculture, with monthly visits over the course of the school year.
"Initiating a cutting edge way for Brooklyn high school students to gain state-of-the-art AP level science and technology knowledge from industry experts," said Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza.
"If we're gonna succeed as a city we have to ensure our NY students are prepared for that future economy," said James Patchett, president & CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation.
Investing in our students and that future starts right here, right now.
Students will be given project feedback and guidance from mentors they're teamed up with through the program.