Strengthening Our Partnership with STEM Student Based Organizations (SBOs): West Africa

For more than one year, InsightSTEM has worked to achieve better results for students and youth in West Africa, Our core values are to demoncratise STEM knowledge through exploration, creating a world where all minds are critically thinking, STEM literate and global learners. As a natural outgrowth of our work, we have created and continue to nurture diverse network across the region.

West Africa is currently characterized by a rapidly growing youthful population experiencing rapid social- economic, scientific and technological development. InsightSTEM cannot do it alone in West Africa, thus, strengthening our partnerships with all STEM organizations is essential to us. With this, we can have more impacts by providing STEM knowledge through exploration across all regions of West Africa.

Networking Evening: Biological Sciences  Student Association (BIOSSA), University of Liberia

On March 18, 2017 at 6:00pm,   InsightSTEM had an exciting event; a dinner night with the Biological Sciences   Student Association (BIOSSA), University of Liberia in the Tubman Hall at the Capitol Hill Campus of the University of Liberia, ,  with some of its Local Impact Committee Liberia members as well as Kinder STEM West Africa Missions Director, Mr. Johnason L. David and West Africa Coordinator, Mr. Simmie S. Nyanfor, Jr. were present. Interestingly, InsightSTEM Liberia LIC Chairperson, Mr. Chalaty A. Young, also serves as the President of the Biological Sciences Students Association at the University of Liberia.

At this event, Campus Ambassador and Local Impact Committee, Christian Weah   gave a brief presentation about IstightSTEM. He also presented on programs and projects undertaken by InsightSTEM and some good works coming up  by the organization. He encouraged STEM teachers, professionals, and students to become members of InsightSTEM by joining the Liberia Local   Impact Committee in order to help explore STEM greatly in Liberia.

Moreover, some Young STEM Professionals of InsightSTEM were given various awards as Honorees. These include: Francis Maweah, Jr. (Academic Excellence Award), Perry Z. Newray (Distinct Leadership Award), and our Student Representative Varfee A. Siryon also receiving Distinct Leadership Award.

World Pi Day

March 23, 2017, was another unique program; the World Pi Day organized by Liberian Community Association of Connecticut Scholars (LCAC - Scholars) that was well attended by InsightSTEM Liberia Local Impact officials led by its Chairperson, Mr. Chalaty A. Young, and also Kinder STEM West Africa Missions Director, Mr. Johnason L. David and West Africa Coordinator, Mr. Simmie S. Nyanfor, Jr.

Some members of the InsightSTEM West Africa crew at
the World Pi Day Celebration - Liberia

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi  is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.

Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern. While only a handful of digits are needed for typical calculations, Pi’s infinite nature makes it a fun challenge to memorize, and to computationally calculate more and more digits.

Cross section of students at the Pi Day celebration held at the Firestone Field House, Harbel, Margibi County, Liberia

Chalaty A. Young, LIC Liberia Chair
presenting to the audience

Our Local Impact Liberia Chair, Chalaty A. Young talked more of InsightSTEM to the audience and he provided opportunity for students and teachers that were willing to become members of the organization by writing down basic information about themselves. He also served as judge of the Pi recitation and quizzing competition.

Jallah Sumo, HSS Representative
helping students join
InsightSTEM HSS program

Mr. Jallah Sumo, High School Scholars Program representative, Liberia Local Impact Committee engaged the students on the importance of the HSS program and how it is beneficial to the growth of them as a students and the provision of smooth transition and readiness to take on STEM careers after high school. He also emphasized on the hands on opportunities to partake in InsightSTEM programs and projects to enhance their research and outreach skills. 

Mr. Brillaince Karwee, STEM Exploration Technology Team Lead, Liberia Local Impact Committee, explained to the students about the low cost exploration technologies InsightSTEM provides to enhance their STEM knowledge through exploration. In addition, Campus Ambassador Fredrick Dukuly make presentation on the importance of Pi as it relates to STEM Education as well as Darcess Dossen encouraging students to take on STEM careers.

More high-schools scholars and teachers were encouraged to become members of InsightSTEM High School Scholars Program because of their passion for STEM which they would love to explore greatly in Liberia.

Cross section of the students at the event

The program was successful and ended with students interacting with officials of InsightSTEM to know more about the organization.

You can support our programs and projects in West Africa by donating here: http://give.classy.org/WestAfrica

--- Romell Dede
InsightSTEM LIC Liberia Communications Officer