Taking STEM Offline

On November 12, 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to visit Zumratul Islamiyyah Senior High School (ZISHS) and Zumratul Islammiyah Junior High School (ZIJHS) in Yaba, to take our mission offline and talk about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was an inspiring experience to engage with these young minds and share a vision I’ve carried since 2022.

I kicked off the session just after their morning assembly, by introducing the SDGs, the 17 global goals created by the United Nations to guide us toward a more sustainable world.

I focused especially on SDG 4: Quality Education, which is central to everything we do at EstheraSTEM and I explained how our work promotes this goal through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) education, with future plans of incorporating art into it to be STEAM which promotes more creativity.

Next, I introduced EstheraSTEM itself, how it started in 2022 as a STEM club for my Rise challenge project, and how it’s grown into a student-led initiative focused on empowering students globally through enriching resources and programs. I shared our mission, our vision for a future of passionate lifelong learners and leaders, and our digital magazine project, all designed to inspire the next generation.

To make the session interactive, I encouraged students to share their thoughts on how they can contribute to achieving the SDGs. While no one responded immediately, I saw and felt the curiosity in their midst. I told them I'd go around to ask if they wanted "a feature in the magazine or a physical copy of the magazine".

True to my word, I went around and spoke to many students individually after the assembly, and it was in those one-on-one conversations that the magic happened. By the end of the morning, over 20 students had signed up to receive the EstheraSTEM magazine and join our growing community.

It meant a lot to see their interest, some excited, some curious, and others just happy to feel seen and heard. I wrapped up the session by encouraging them to join our mission online, check out the EstheraSTEM blog and website and stay tuned for upcoming activities.

Most importantly, I urged them to keep thinking about how their small actions can drive big change.

I’m deeply grateful to the Principal, Vice Principal and the teachers at ZISHS & ZIJHS for warmly welcoming me and giving me the space to plant this seed of curiosity and possibility.

I look forward to more opportunities like this to share the message of the SDGs and EstheraSTEM with even more young minds.

- Esther Adegoroye