GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — In honor of Black History Month, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay is remembering those who paved the way for diversity in the field of STEM.
The Club is partnering with US Cellular for its third annual Black History Month Art Contest. This year, club members were encouraged to create their own artwork inspired by Black icons in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“We had kids do some research into learning some of the Black icons within STEM and picking out someone who was really influential in that field and just taking their creative approach to drawing their portrait," said US Cellular store manager Charissa St. Thomas.
10 finalists will be chosen based on creativity, quality, interpretation, clarity of theme and overall impression. The finalists’ artwork will be digitally displayed in select stores from February 1st to February 28th and anyone 18 and older will be invited to vote for their favorite art online. The top three will receive prizes that include $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third.
In preparation for the contest, club members learned about historical figures who broke down racial barriers in STEM such as Garrett Morgan, an inventor known for patenting the first traffic light in the U.S, and Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who led NASA during the Space Race.
"STEM is a huge opportunity for kids now and we really want to make sure they're educated on what potential fields and careers they could have in that," St. Thomas said.
“We see a lot of kids are interested in STEM and I think it’s something that they don’t get exposed to often," said Program Development and Training Specialist Hannah Shimek. "When they come here and we can kind of tie in that aspect and show them the different jobs and skills and things they can do in the STEM field I think it’s super awesome.”
Shimek says the contest is especially impactful for children of color at the Club who are able to see the success stories of influential figures who look like them.
"They can see someone who looks like them and maybe even started out in the Club or started out just like them," Shimek said. "To see them have a such a successful career I think can make all the difference and it’s more attainable to them."
