STEM and Swing
Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
STEM and Swing is a joint partnership between the Evansville Community Tennis Association (ECTA) and EVPL. We invite children ages 6-12 to learn, play, and have fun with tennis activities and related STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities. Each event consists of two sessions that develop tennis knowledge and understanding, plus physical activity, and one session learning about STEM through Ozobots, KIBO Robotics, and/or Sphero Robots. Curriculum was developed to connect robotics instruction to tennis and to demonstrate that STEM can be applied to many facets of our lives, including sports.
Challenge/Opportunity
According to the CDC, less than a quarter of children ages 6-17 get 60 minutes of exercise a day. Additionally, there are numerous studies that indicate that exposure to STEM activities better prepares youth for school and the workforce. EVPL and ECTA saw an opportunity to combine tennis and robotics to encourage physical activity and provide opportunities to learn about STEM. Evansville was recently awarded a Promise Neighborhood grant, and we expanded the STEM and Swing program into parks located within the Promise Neighborhood to provide the opportunity for students who are underserved.
Key Elements of Innovation
The program began at the Evansville Tennis Center with a larger age range of children. While the response was overwhelmingly positive, we realized that we were not increasing access to the children in our underserved communities. We worked with the Evansville Parks Department to bring the program to two parks that are located in the Promise Neighborhood. Registration is required for the program, but we left spots available because we know children walk to these parks every day to spend time. We had four children come to the program who were not registered this summer, but we hope to see this number grow as we continue to offer the program in parks throughout the city.
Achieved Outcomes
Throughout 5 STEM and Swing events, we introduced 134 children to tennis and robotics concepts. We also encouraged physical activity and provided hands-on opportunities with STEM materials. By expanding the program in the Evansville Promise Neighborhood, we eliminated transportation barriers and made the program more accessible. We continue to gather feedback from participants, our partners in the Promise Neighborhood, and the ECTA to grow the program to reach more children in our community.
Additional Materials:
