Charlie Batch, Steelers, and U.S. Steel promote importance of STEM education at local school
LIBERTY BOROUGH, Pa. (KDKA) - Students at South Allegheny Middle School in Liberty Borough got a special visit Thursday from the Steelers and U.S. Steel to learn about the importance of STEM and what their lives could look like after graduation.
Former Steelers Quarterback Charlie Batch taught a crowd of 8th graders about the relationship between sports and STEM, giving an example of an NFL play.
"Everybody understands first and 10 right? First down, I make 10 yards, but also there's a snap count that's involved," Batch said to the students.
These connections were interesting to Channing Hamilton, who one day wants to be a professional soccer player or a carpenter or engineer.
"I've heard some NFL plays. That one I've never heard. That was definitely pretty, pretty crazy to hear," Hamilton said.
Hamilton and his class had the chance to learn about potential career options that utilize the skills learned in STEM, also known as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, from U.S. Steel workers Thursday morning.
The visit was a part of the Steelers STEM program which provides Western Pennsylvania middle schools with a free online resource that goes hand-in-hand with the schools' STEM curriculum. Since 2019, it has reached more than 18,000 students across the region.
South Allegheny Middle School Principal Dr. Marisa Bragg said it makes a difference for students to see a team they look up to invest in their education.
"Giving them this opportunity so early in their academic career is critical because it's giving them a sampling of what they can do in the future," Bragg said.
They're fostering student development beyond the playing field, whether or not you make it as a professional athlete.
"It's always important to make sure that they have that background to be able to go out there and lean on that education to figure out what they want to do with the rest of their life," Batch said.
"I never would have expected STEM to be involved with sports, but now I'm really starting to learn, and my eyes are starting to be opened to the possibilities of STEM," Hamilton said.