DiscoverE junior instructors Sua Lee and Thomas Loricz say they have become familiar with the Faculty of Engineering, formed friendships, and developed important skills during their summer as volunteer instructors.
(Edmonton) What better way to teach yourself about engineering than by spending the summer teaching others about engineering?
That's precisely what two first-year engineering students did, spending the summer as junior instructors with DiscoverE, the Faculty of Engineering's engineering and science outreach program. Thomas Lorincz and Sua Lee were among 11 junior instructors assisting nearly 40 instructors run summer camps for kids in Edmonton and rural communities across Alberta and the Northwest Territories over the past eight weeks.
Lee supported a summer camp in Peace River and Lorincz travelled to Wabasca.
"It was amazing," Lee said of her rural teaching experience. "Some families would drive an hour to get their kids to camp every day."
The rural camps are smaller, she says, "so you get to know the kids a little better-it's a lot of fun."
Many of the junior instructor volunteers are entering the engineering program in September.
Lorincz says another rewarding aspect of the summertime volunteer job is having an positive impact on youths.
"You're having fun, doing crafts and science with them-and you end up getting these young kids interested in their own education," he said. "It was interesting to see how inspired they are."
At the same time, more senior engineering students end up inspiring the junior instructors. During a recent science demonstration, Lorincz was spinning three coins that were suspended between two magnets. As he explained the science behind the trick to a spellbound audience of kids, a more senior instructor gave Lorincz a greater, in-depth understanding of magnetism and magnetic forces.
"I was giving the kids a very simple explanation, and this other instructor is going into all kinds of detail, talking about subatomic particles. I was learning," he recalled. "When you're working and spending so much time with senior students, you learn a lot-about so many fields."
Lee added that the learning wasn't all technical. There are important skills like communication and leadership that are vital to success in engineering.
"I learned so many things this summer, starting with teamwork with all of the junior and senior instructors," she said. "And I learned a lot about leadership-I definitely got better at it."
But does leading a group of elementary students improve a person's ability to lead their peers? Lee makes the case plainly: "I think it's harder to lead a group of children than it is to lead a group of people my own age," she explained.
Another advantage of volunteering over the summer?
"It's almost like having a personalized, extended orientation," said Lorencz, adding that the junior instructors have already learned their way around campus and have a better idea of what to expect as engineering students.
Bonding with other junior instructors helps too, says Lee.
"We met other junior instructors over the summer who are passionate and motivated," she said. "We have started friendships that will last over our university lives. And more friends means more study buddies."