Higher education can transform lives – and to bring that point home, UCF is hosting a series of events this week.
From today through Friday, events will showcase how education can make a difference, not just in an individual’s life but that of a community as well.
From fifth-graders exploring higher education by experiencing engaging science activities today to an attempt on Friday to break the world record for High-Fives, it’s all about showing how knowledge, creativity and passion fuel change.
The week begins with Achieve College Education Day sponsored by The Burnett Honors College. More than 500 fifth-graders from poorer neighborhoods will visit UCF to see that college isn’t out of reach. The students will see hands-on demonstrations meant to grab their attention, from holding actual meteorites, to learning to conduct an orchestra, to handling animal bones. By seeing what they can do, the hope is they will continue on the path to college.
College students will also start seeing MakerBots stations pop up around the Engineering II building. These stations house 3-D printers that are used in a variety of industries. A 3-D printer was even sent to the International Space Station last year.
The week will culminate with a Microsoft-sponsored event aimed at breaking the world record for high-fives as a way to draw attention to the efforts of a group of students at UCF who are making free 3-D bionic arms for children.
More than 1,687 people are needed in Memory Mall at noon Friday to set up the human chain that will attempt to break the record by using a bionic arm designed by UCF’s own Limbitless Solutions team. The group of volunteer students designed and created a 3-D printed arm for a local boy who needed one. They gave it to him in July at no cost to the family. Then the team uploaded the designs and “how-to” instructions to the Internet for anyone to use. Since then they have received requests from more than 25 countries and are currently helping four families in Florida.
Group leader Albert Manero says it’s all about using knowledge and creativity to give families hope and change the world.
A range of other events will be taking place to give young and college-age students a chance to see the power of an education. Many events are part of Engineering Week. There will an opportunity to help build mechanical hands for children that need them, an opportunity to create beautiful designs for mechanical arms and to explore more. Check out the many opportunities:
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