Nearly 400 fourth- and fifth-grade Taylor ISD students attend interactive presentation
TAYLOR, Texas – Justin Shaifer was raised by a single mother on the south side of Chicago. He admits that he wasn’t a good student, was often the class clown and was teetering on the edge of gang life. His mother, witnessing her son’s trajectory, wrote a contract stating that her son would commit to finding a way to fund and attend college.
When Shaifer signed his name to that piece of paper, he set himself on a new pathway – from class clown to “Mr. Fascinate,” an award-winning science communicator, TV host, nationally recognized speaker and sold-out ambassador of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education.
Shaifer shared his story Wednesday with a crowd of nearly 400 Taylor ISD fourth- and fifth-graders from Naomi Pasemann Elementary and Main Street Elementary schools.
The interactive presentation, titled “Why STEM is Dope,” showcased how Shaifer changed his life, focused on his grades, received a full scholarship to college, worked in the White House and on the ocean, fully embraced STEM education, and landed on Forbes’ “30 Under 30 in Education” list.
“When I was growing up in Chicago, I would hear words like ‘under-resourced’ and ‘marginalized’ and ‘underserved’ used to describe kids like me,” Shaifer said. “What I realized is that the world actually underestimated kids like me. And if you ever hear these things being used to talk about you, just think about how life has underestimated you. You can do absolutely anything you put your mind to.”
Shaifer’s visit was sponsored by Temple College’s L.E.A.D.S. program, which is funded by a U.S. Department of Education grant to “create a culture of STEM” among students in Temple College’s service-area communities.
Dr. Eva Munguia, Executive Director of the L.E.A.D.S. program, said Temple College is devoted to engaging with students in elementary, middle and high schools to help them see that college is available to them and that a high-paying career in a STEM field is attainable.
“We’re here to help our students develop STEM pathways that lead to successful careers,” Munguia said. “We seek opportunities like this to introduce students to STEM fields – to create a college-going culture and to show them that science, technology, engineering and math can be fun and worth the pursuit. Many of these students will start their pursuit right here in Taylor.”
Temple College’s Taylor campus serves hundreds of students each year, many via the Legacy Early College High School program, and the College has an advisor who has an office in Taylor High School. Last year, Temple College partnered with Taylor ISD’s Naomi Pasemann Elementary School as part of the College’s new Adopt-A-School program, which is continuing.
“There is so much happening in Taylor ISD and it’s fun for us to engage with students on so many levels,” said Eric Eckert, Temple College’s Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Outreach. “Our Adopt-A-School partnership opened the door for the opportunity to bring Mr. Fascinate to Taylor ISD. We’re happy that so many students were able to see him speak and learn what’s possible.”
Wednesday’s speech included an interactive chemistry activity and demonstrations of a pair of high-tech, voice-activated sunglasses that can take photos, record video and “read aloud” words placed in front of them.
“With STEM, you can make magic. You saw all the cool things we were able to do with advanced technology and some pretty cool science chemicals,” he said. “Through hard work with STEM, you can go from zero to hero – from class clown to Mr. Fascinate, traveling the world and reaching people through STEM.”
ABOUT TEMPLE COLLEGE
Temple College is “Your Community’s College,” a dynamic and growing community college that equips thousands of Central Texas students with the knowledge and skills for 21st-century success. Temple College, which has campuses in Temple, Hutto, Taylor and Rockdale, offers more than 80 degree and certificate programs to students who seek to earn credits for transfer, graduate with an associate degree or complete a certificate for fast entry into the workforce.
Founded in 1926, Temple College has enjoyed a reputation for academic excellence for 98 years. It is nationally recognized for its exceptional programs, from visual and performing arts to competitive athletics. The College has become one of the state’s premiere institutions for healthcare providers’ education and training, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development programs. The faculty and staff are committed to providing exceptional quality instruction.