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Omega Psi Phi, local partners plan free STEM labs and college tours for Columbus students
Summary
Representatives from Omega Psi Phi and local partners described a hands-on STEM outreach that will provide solar car and Bluetooth speaker labs to students at multiple Columbus high schools, plus a sponsored college STEM tour; organizers said kits and some trips will be provided at no cost to students.
Marvin Broadwater Sr., representing Omega Psi Phi, and Sean "Coach" Lane briefed the Muscogee County School District board on May 12 about a volunteer-led STEM outreach that will bring hands-on labs and college exposure to Columbus students.
Coach Lane described morning solar-car experiments and afternoon physics-of-sound activities that will teach students about potential and kinetic energy, mechanical and heat transfer, and allow them to assemble Bluetooth speakers to take home. "We have a unique opportunity down in Columbus to engage students, 100 students at, George Washington and Culver, in the morning, as well as 100 students at, Shaw, High School," Lane said. He added that organizers plan pre-lab assignments and post-event family wrap-ups called "Success Sundays."
Broadwater and Lane said the district sponsorship covers lab kits and student travel for one-day trips; they noted a longer state STEM tour option available July 14 with limited slots for Columbus students. Lane said the one-day trip slots are limited (about 25 for the college trip from Columbus), and the larger outreach will include campus visits and hands-on experiments at partnering universities.
Organizers said student selection will be coordinated with principals and will focus on ninth- and tenth-graders to encourage earlier algebra participation and strengthen STEM pathways. Broadwater thanked district staff and partners for support and said the project also will include mentoring at Downtown Elementary on Oct. 1, 2025.
Board members asked about cost and selection; Lane said the lab kits and the one-day trip are being sponsored so families will not pay. The presentation was informational; no board action was taken during the session.
