MOSES LAKE - Big Bend Community College is continuing efforts to get more kids interested in STEM learning.  

The college has been using its STEM Summer Institute to introduce Basin high school students to engineering and other related subjects - part of their overall initiative to prepare students to eventually enter STEM-related fields. 

Now in its third year, the program allows students to participate in hands-on learning projects, tour Big Bend's campus and STEM Center, learn about degree options and meet with engineers from local companies all over the course of three days. 

STEM Engineering Curriculum Specialist James Sauceda said the Summer Institute is a good way for students to see if a STEM career is for them or not. 

"It's a hands-on introduction to engineering subjects," he said. "And it shows students what they can get involved with here at Big Bend with our curriculum and even beyond."

A lot of what students learn during the Summer Institute ties into what Big Bend STEM students learn while in the program, said Sauceda. 

The first day for example, students worked on building model bridges. The bridge had to eventually be tested to make sure they were structurally sound and could handle various loads, he said.

Another day consisted of visits from engineers from REC Silicon, Genie and Microsoft as well as from representatives from Eastern Washington and Central Washington universities. Students also got to tour the Big Bend campus. 

Sauceda said Microsoft, who has representation on the college's STEM committee, helped fund this year's Summer Institute. About 15 students from Moses Lake, Royal City, Ephrata, Warden and Grand Coulee schools participated this year.