Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) opened its doors June 21 for the sixth annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Career Day.

Students were provided a tour of the facilities by Shipyard Historian Marcus Robbins, and learned the day-to-day operations of the shipyard and how the workforce services the fleet of the U.S. Navy. In addition, the students were able to interact with representatives from different departments and learn about their fields of expertise, including NNSY's Engineering and Planning Department, the Quality Assurance Department, the Electrical Group, the Rapid Prototype Center, the Occupational Health and Safety Department, and more. They also had the opportunity to learn about the apprentice program.

"This event is all about celebrating the students and their passion for STEM," said NNSY Outreach Program Manager Valerie Fulwood. "This year our theme is 'Inspiring Young Minds in Science, Technology and Engineering.' We wanted to bring in the students and share with them what STEM can offer them for their future in education, career paths and more. The students have been very receptive and have shown their curiosity with the questions they ask. They have a passion for learning and we're thrilled to have them."

Unlike the previous STEM career days, this year NNSY wanted to target homeschool students from military families in Hampton Roads and students attending summer school at the Youth Center at Scott Center Annex.

Homeschool student Kerrigan Diehl said, "It was exciting to see the ships and learn about how the shipyard fixes them. We got to see the dry docks up close and got to meet with folks who were able to answer our questions about the work being done."

The STEM Career Day was also the first partnership between NNSY Outreach Program and the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) School Liaison Officer (SLO) in an effort to take advantage of every tool available to reach as many kids as possible in the Hampton Roads community.

"For me, my job is to service the children of military members," said School Liaison Officer Terrilyn Williams. "Our homeschool students especially tend to miss out being exposed to some of the same experiences public school students are exposed to. For the shipyard to allow us to come in behind the scenes here, it's amazing. The students had a lot of questions and we could see the dry docks and the ships and see the folks working on the waterfront. Today is a great experience and we're thankful to be included."

"I really like science and I really enjoyed seeing the dry dock with the submarine," said Quayson Lewis, a sixth grader at John F. Kennedy Middle School who was attending summer camp at the Youth Center. "The shipyard is a really cool place and you get to learn how the ships go into dry dock and the work that gets done to ensure it is able to perform its mission. I really enjoyed going on the tour and speaking with the different workers. I had no idea there were so many jobs here. I loved today and I hope there's more chances to come to the shipyard and learn more!"

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