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The Reading Eagle
Rotary Clubs host STEM Youth Explorers Academy at Kutztown University
STEM YEA 2025
STEM YEA is a four‐day, three‐night residential STEM-focused Academy providing equitable opportunities for rising eighth-grade students. The Academy delves into intriguing STEM areas while inspiring and engaging the students. These young people and their parents may not otherwise have this opportunity. The program, sponsored by Rotary Clubs in District 7430, was held at Kutztown University in Kutztown, PA, from July 11 through 13, 2025. The theme was "Astrobiology: the Search for Life on Mars".
Fifty-six students registered for the fourth Academy, and fifty-four completed the four-day event. The 29 female and 27 male students attended 32 public and parochial middle schools. There were no accidents or injuries. Twenty-five District 7430 Rotary Clubs sponsored students for STEM YEA 2025. Students received STEM YEA tee shirts, backpacks, water bottles, lab manuals, drawing pencils, antimicrobial pens, and copies of the session manual. Dr. Michael Seidner led a special ceremony to present white lab coats to the students. Rotary pins were presented at the ceremony to be worn on the lab coats, accompanied by color-coded name badges.
Housing & Meals
Students enjoyed lunch in the Kutztown University dining hall, and one very positive thing was the interaction of the students at work and at play.
Students, overnight monitors, interns and some volunteers were housed in the University Place air-conditioned dorms. All meals were taken at the South Dining Hall. Jason Garcia and his team of KU students provided round the clock service and support.
Curriculum
STEM sessions, in addition to project building, team building, and Rotary informational sessions, were held over the three-and-a-half-day period. Students built habitats, rovers, and landers from recyclable materials to display at the Al Engel Science Fair before the Celebration Dinner. Dr. Anthony (Tony) Moyer, Ed.D., the principal of Willow Lane School, served as the Director for STEM YEA 2025. Four certified teachers engaged and instructed our STEM YEA students during the event. Five interns, some of whom attended the RYLA Camp Neidig, assisted the teachers and the volunteers. Evening programs included First Aid training by Nurse Sue Hite, as well as a presentation by Tom Power and Chris Hornaman of the Engineers without Borders Lehigh Valley Professionals chapter. Mike Maguire, of the Johnsville Centrifuge and Science Museum, spoke about the history of innovation forged at the Naval Air Development Center (NADC) in Warminster, Pennsylvania, and displayed several rocket models illustrating key points in his presentation. Two sessions provided our STEM YEA 2025 students with opportunities to learn about the Rotary organization. One session included a lively game of Jeopardy, featuring various Rotary causes and history. Another session featured former Rotary Exchange students who joined via Zoom to discuss their experiences with the Rotary Youth Leadership Academy (RYLA). Kutztown University Professors worked with the students on Saturday evening to provide mini-chemistry experiments and demonstrate the electron microscope in the Boehm Science building.
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DISTRICT 7430 ROTARY VOLUNTEERS
Forty-two volunteers monitored students overnight in the dorms and engaged with students during the daytime sessions. The volunteers had meals with the students and enjoyed working with them in the labs and during team-building activities. Students were divided into groups, accompanied by adult leaders who assembled them for meals and escorted them to the dining hall, academic buildings, and dorms.
STEM YEA stalwart Susan Hite, RN at left looks on as Rotary volunteers escort students from one venue to another.
Media Recognition
Berks Weekly
Rotary's STEM YEA program empowers 8th grade students across five counties
BCTV
2025 Rotary District 7430 STEM Youth Explorer Academy Provides Student Opportunities
Two Rotary sessions allowed our STEM YEA 2025 students to learn about Rotary. One session included a lively game of Rotary bingo featuring various Rotary Youth activities. Another session featured participants from Rotary Youth activities "ZOOMING" to talk about their Rotary experiences. The participants included Rotary Youth Exchange students and Interactors from around the globe.
The Rotary focused module featured international exchange students as well as an overview of what Rotary is all about.
Fun Facts
Two hundred students, parents, grandparents, volunteers, sponsors/donors, and Rotary District 7430 leaders attended the Celebration Dinner held at the university on Sunday afternoon. Students were presented with Certificates of Completion and class photos. Dr. Laurie McMillan, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, addressed the audience about her educational journey and discussed the opportunities available at Kutztown University. Many sponsoring Rotary Clubs have invited STEM YEA students to attend and speak at Rotary Club meetings. Parents often attend and provide thank yous and favorable comments about the STEM YEA experience.
Please join us in sponsoring STEM YEA 2026, scheduled for July 2026. This may be the only opportunity for these students and their parents to participate in a program that builds STEM-focused future citizens.
