A large-scale two-day scientific and practical intensive program titled “STEAM Adventures” was held at the “Emerald City” Sanatorium and Health Center for Social Rehabilitation for schoolchildren from the Donetsk region. The educational initiative was organized by the Donetsk National Technical University (DonNTU) and the Donetsk Regional Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for Schoolchildren.
The event brought together 140 students, both boys and girls, aged 10 to 17 from various communities in the Donetsk region. The goal of the event was to create an inclusive scientific and educational space where children could gain hands-on experience with modern achievements in science and technology, learn about the opportunities offered by the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and explore the prospects of studying at DonNTU.
The intensive program was structured around the principle of “learning by doing” and covered five key areas.
In the area of making, woodworking, and household design, participants worked in the TOLOCAR mobile workshop, learned to use hand and power tools, built chairs, bird feeders, and birdhouses with their own hands, and explored the capabilities of the international platform Instructables.
During classes on applied chemistry and environmental monitoring, the students conducted laboratory experiments, determined the salinity of water, measured nitrate levels in food, and observed the course of chemical reactions.
At the first-aid and tactical training station, participants practiced their rapid response skills in emergency situations: they performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on training manikins, learned how to apply tourniquets, and how to stop life-threatening bleeding.
Innovative forensic science sparked particular interest. The children tried their hand at being forensic experts, learned the basics of fingerprinting, and practiced methods for identifying and documenting fingerprints.
The participants were particularly drawn to the field of high-tech engineering, robotics, and unmanned technologies. The young people gained their first experience piloting flight simulators and conducting training flights on FPV drones, and they also assembled and configured OTTO robots based on the Arduino platform themselves.
The intensive program culminated in a spectacular science and chemistry show featuring fascinating experiments, including the famous “Elephant Toothpaste” experiment, which provided participants with unforgettable experiences and once again proved that science can be interesting, accessible, and exciting.
The “STEAM Adventures” project has become a space for discovery, creativity, and hands-on experience for young people in the Donetsk region. Such initiatives promote science and modern engineering education and help the younger generation determine their future career paths, develop their potential, and believe in their ability to change the world for the better.