MHS, MMS, Experience Virtual STEM Training

On January 12th and 13th, Malta High School and Middle School science students experienced modern Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) training, thanks to guests Army National Guard Sergeant Cassandra Olszewski (Sergeant O) of Malta and Sergeant Steve Weber, who lives outside of Missoula.

"Malta High School and Sergeant O. asked me to come down and I have brought the stem program from the Montana National Guard and the history outreach program," Sgt. Weber said.

Sgt. Weber said that the program receives a lot of technology including the virtual reality setup that Malta students used during their stem training presentation.

"At the middle school, they loved it," Sgt. O said. "When we pulled up the heart, everybody was shocked. High school was the same, they know a lot more about the body."

During this presentation, one student was selected to operate the virtual reality program, that allows the other students to see an interactive three-dimensional version of vital organs including the heart and lungs.

Sgt. O said that the students hadn't seen the virtual technology before that day and they were excited.

The program allowed students to see an internal and external view of how oxygen enters the lung and exits. This included sliders of levels of lung damage from compromised breathing due to smoking and other factors.

" I just think that it was really cool for all of the students to see what a smoker's lungs look like from the outside and then go into the lungs," Sgt. O said. "You don't ever get that experience unless you bring in this type of technology. Even the teachers love it."

The heart was also examined during the STEM training class. This exercise allowed students to see blood flow through the internal chambers of the heart as well as sliders showing damage to the heart due to artery issues.

"We brought in virtual reality today, to show the students the human body, mechanical and chemistry, all using virtual reality, to show them things that give them a visual way to learn, rather than just a textbook," Sgt. Weber said.

Sgt. Weber said that in college, virtual technology is used amongst college for training all the time. He explained that training in the medical field includes virtual reality cadavers which students operate on in live time to simulate real-life scenarios. He also said that virtual training isn't limited to the medical field.

"You can have a hologram table with a person on it," Sgt. Weber said. "You can treat diseases, work on different triages, as well as auto mechanics, chemistry; we can build molecules, we can create acetaminophen, penicillin, and compare it to amoxicillin. You can build different types of engines."

The engines are not limited to general motor engines, but Ducati, Lamborghini, and various exotic engines.

"It lets students in areas like ours, that may not see (those types of engines), get the chance to virtually work on those kinds of foreign things," Sgt. Weber said.

Sgt. Weber travels around the state and comes to schools around Montana at the request of local Army National Guard recruiters. According to Sgt. Weber, the program does not cost the school.

"I'm the teacher's aide, so if they have something specific that they want to focus on, if I have time to prepare, I can build them a lesson," Sgt. Weber said.

He was asked what he thought of the Phillips County area.

I think it's great," Sgt. Weber said. "It's super cool over here. It's different than the west side and a little flatter over here, but it's still awesome. I love coming over here and checking out new areas."