More than 200 middle and high school students from six schools in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties visited Georgia Tech in early October for GoSTEM’s 12th annual Latino College and STEM Fair. Housed in the Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing (CEISMC), GoSTEM’s mission is to promote STEM academic achievement and college attendance among Latino K-12 students. 

Students attended various STEM demonstrations and interactive sessions throughout the day, presented by Georgia Tech, Emory University, Georgia College & State University, Georgia State University, and Kennesaw State University. There was also an undergraduate admission information session by Georgia Tech and a panel discussion by Kennesaw State’s First-Gen Owls student organization. 

“The last in-person Latino College and STEM Fair was held in spring 2019 before the pandemic caused us to move to a virtual format the last few years,” explained GoSTEM Co-Program Manager Michael Turner. “The team determined that bringing it back in person this fall was well-timed, aligning perfectly with the academic calendar, college application deadlines, and Hispanic Heritage Month. This event provides a valuable opportunity for students to explore their options and connect with mentors in the STEM fields.” 

This event has been a major component of the GoSTEM program since the beginning, having become a staple of the Atlanta Science Festival in 2014. The team aimed to restart on a smaller scale, focusing on a few select schools that had either participated in other GoSTEM programs or were relatively new to the initiative. Previous iterations of the event were larger and more public-facing, attracting Latino students and their families from across Georgia. 

“Our team is very aware of the role and importance of including the family, which may be explored in the future,” said Jorge Hernandez Cervantes, who serves as the other GoSTEM co-program manager. “For the pilot run, we wanted to see how everything would work logistically, especially in terms of event space, but also to ensure that as many students as possible experienced the Latino College and STEM Fair in person, even if their parents couldn’t join this time.”

As the student programming focus was the main objective for bringing the event back to campus, educational outreach coordinators Ana Garcia Isol and Ben Franco collaborated on the planning and logistics of the event to ensure this goal was fulfilled. They were past GoSTEM participants and CEISMC student employees while they pursued their STEM degrees at Georgia State University. 

“We wanted the students to experience a different type of opportunity where they felt welcomed and comfortable engaging in STEM activities. Many students do not think they’re smart enough or don’t belong in the STEM classroom,” Garcia Isol said. “By creating a space with carefully curated programs that explore the numerous possibilities of STEM, we are showing these students the attainable pathways to STEM majors and careers.”

“Events like the Latino College and STEM Fair are crucial for exposing students, especially from underfunded schools to new opportunities. Without that exposure, they might not realize their full potential,” added Franco. “These events spark interest, encourage discussions, and help students connect with like-minded peers as they explore their career and college paths.”  

For example, Erin Luna, a sixth-grade teacher at GoSTEM’s longtime partner Lilburn Middle School, observed the students’ enthusiasm and excitement about the experience. She described one student who probably would not have asked her teacher for a permission slip but decided to do so after running into Luna on her way to make more copies. 

“I encouraged the student to sign up when she asked me about the event,” explained Luna. “She attended and later thanked me at lunch, saying ‘I want to go to college here.’ Knowing she doesn’t like her science class and would be the first in her family to attend college, I realized that inspiring even one student makes it all worthwhile. The future belongs to those who dare to dream beyond boundaries.” 

School counselor Lisandra Latorre echoed the same sentiments about the impact of the campus event on her students from Chamblee High School, a first-time partner with GoSTEM. She said that the students asked many questions and interreacted with presenters, with some of her very limited English proficient students treated to a presentation in Spanish, which made them feel even more included. 

“The key takeaway was that all Latino students can attend college, even Georgia Tech,” Latorre explained. “Latino students need events and programs like these to see role models who started out maybe LEP (Limited English Proficient) just like them, attending colleges, involved and leading in STEM fields they think are out of reach.”

Participants from Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville, Sweetwater Middle School in Lawrenceville, Berkmar High School in Lilburn, and Cross Keys High School in Brookhaven were also in attendance.  

On the presenter side, it was a homecoming of sorts for Georgia State University’s Bio-Bus Program, a mobile science outreach service for K-12 students and their families and teachers. Director Michelle Ventura Ezeoke explained that the Bio-Bus Program first collaborated almost a decade ago with GoSTEM when the team co-hosted a teacher professional development event with the Latin American Association addressing how to bridge the STEM educational gap for Georgia’s K-12 Latino students. 

“As a first-generation Latina and first-generation college graduate, I have dedicated my work to inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals by dispelling misconceptions regarding STEM identity,” Ventura Ezeoke said.  “Programs like GoSTEM are essential because they provide an opportunity and space for K-12 students to be inspired to persist in STEM. Moreover, they enable the staff to showcase themselves as STEM professionals while serving their communities.” 

Among the other presenters, many of whom also participate in the Atlanta Science Festival, included: 

• Georgia Tech: Astronomy Club, BME HealthReach, Frugal Science Academy
• Kennesaw State University: ColorStack KSU 
• Emory University: ChEmory 
• Georgia College & State University: Magic of Chemistry

—Joëlle Walls, CEISMC Communications