Since opening the Nevada Gigafactory nearly a decade ago, Panasonic has been igniting a passion for STEM/STEAM fields among students in the Reno-Sparks area through programs we support like Million Girls Moonshot and the Girl Scouts of Sierra Nevada. In 2022, we partnered with Team Panasonic brand ambassador Olympian Katie Ledecky and Discovery Education to launch STEM Forward. As a virtual field trip, we are breaking down barriers and providing educational learning tools for students and educators.
This fall, Panasonic, Discovery Education and Katie brought the STEM Forward program from cyberspace to IRL for local elementary students, middle schoolers and teachers in Washoe County, Nevada at the Gigafactory. Not only were we excited to share hands-on activities with the students to learn about battery production, but we all learned important life lessons from Katie. She shared her personal story of dedication, perseverance and the importance of setting goals, paralleling her athletic achievement with the skills necessary to succeed in STEM/STEAM fields.
We were so honored to spark curiosity and enthusiasm among the students on the power of STEM education and the technological innovation happening right in their backyard!
After wrapping up an engaging afternoon at the Gigafactory, Panasonic and Discovery Education then hosted a STEAM education panel at the Nevada Museum of Art where state and local educators joined industry and community leaders for a conversation focused on career readiness and the future of workplace development. The panel explored innovative programs designed to inspire young minds and equip students with the critical skills needed for a global 21st century workforce.
