Behind the scenes: How STEM Fest became a celebration of collaboration

At Panasonic, we believe in people before product. This ethos is shared by Kansas and is one of the many reasons why we selected the state for our new EV battery production facility. As the one-year anniversary since breaking ground in De Soto neared, we wanted to make the celebration more than the construction progress. We wanted to do something for the community as a way of saying thank you for welcoming us to the region.

Collaboration quickly became the theme of our discussions, especially when our Panasonic Foundation colleagues engaged partners from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA). With a shared focus on broadening access, inclusion, and diversity in STEM education and career opportunities, “A Space For All” STEM Fest was born.

We quickly realized that the best way to provide resources, offer hands-on activities, and showcase area nonprofits was to have a multiday event. The first day featured interactive workshops for middle-school students, followed by a half-day of keynote speakers and panelists, comprised of highly esteemed national and regional experts who could address diversity in STEM fields. The second day was a free communitywide event, with fun activities for kids of all ages and their families.

Johnson County Community College (JCCC) generously provided a variety of venues on campus and invited students and faculty from other area colleges to participate. As a result, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Metropolitan Community College, University of Missouri Kansas City, Kansas State University’s Olathe Campus, Avila University, and MidAmerica Nazarene University were just a few of the schools that took part. Panasonic Energy previously had the opportunity to work with JCCC on workforce development for potential job opportunities at the new facility, and it was a pleasure to partner together for this effort as well.

In the year since breaking ground, we’ve been fortunate to be able to build relationships with impactful organizations serving the Greater Kansas City area. As our event grew, we knew that to reach students in neighboring counties and on both sides of the Kansas-Missouri state lines, we would need the help of the area nonprofits that offer educational or STEM-focused programming. STEM Fest was the perfect way to showcase the work being done by these nonprofits, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Johnson County Park & Recreation District, KC STEM Alliance, MINDDRIVE, Operation Breakthrough, WeCode KC and YMCA of Greater Kansas City.

Some of our favorite images from the event highlight the energy from the middle school students in attendance. Hearing their enthusiasm for the science and math activities – building paper robots, a mini solar rover, spaghetti structures and more – we felt encouraged and inspired about the future of STEM. Their participation would not have been possible without the incredible help from the teachers and administrators at Unified School District 232, the school district where our new facility is located, and nearby districts, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, Olathe Public Schools, and Shawnee Mission School District.

While you may have seen that “A Space For All” STEM Fest was a collaboration between Panasonic, the Panasonic Foundation, NASA, and NIA, it was only a success because of the hospitality and teamwork shown by everyone mentioned here and so many others.