©2023 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS FOUNDATION OF WASHINGTON | A 501(c)(3) ORGANIZATION
Students in the Mead School District show off their popsicle bridge for the annual competition in Spokane.
An SEFW volunteer helps students at Mountlake Terrace High School, a STEM school, with their FIRST Robotics competition entry.
SEFW volunteers discuss structural engineering at a STEM Expo at a Puget Sound area school district.
SEFW Chair Mark D'Amato makes a donation to WashingtonSTEM, forging a partnership that brought structural engineering education to Puget Sound schools.
During a tour of the Seattle Center organized by WashingtonSTEM, two SEFW volunteers demonstrate to high school students the structural stability of the Space Needle.
During a tour of the Seattle Center organized by WashingtonSTEM, several SEFW volunteers discuss the construction of the Space Needle with a group of high school students.
K-12 Educational Initiatives
For the past several years, SEFW has made great effort to partner with STEM high schools in Washington. Initiatives have included a popsicle stick bridge building competition, a balsa wood bridge building competition, and FIRST Robotics team mentoring. In each event, SEFW volunteers have helped familiarize students with structural engineering concepts. SEFW is continually seeking relationships with new STEM programs in the area, and educators are encouraged to contact us with opportunities for funding, mentoring, and other assistance.
Check out this incredible Vimeo video made by the Mead School District that highlights the SEFW-funded popsicle stick bridge competition in 2016.
SEAW Outreach Committee
SEFW is proud to support the newly formed SEAW Outreach Committee, which is tasked with promoting structural engineering among local K-12 students. SEFW and SEAW representatives have attended multiple STEM Expo and Career Fair events over the last several years, exposing thousands of students to structural engineering. Currently, we have a partnership with Washington Alliance for Better Schools, which helps arrange our participation in the STEM fairs. The Outreach Committee has plans for additional speaking engagements, volunteering, and mentoring opportunities.
Sign up online to volunteer with the SEAW Outreach Committee.
Washington STEM partnership
In 2014, SEFW partnered with Washington STEM to better educate local students about structural engineering. Through this partnership we funded and staffed several field trips to sites around the city, including the Seattle Center. Students learned about the structural engineering secrets for the KeyArena, Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, and more.
OUTREACH