PIMCO Volunteers Help Students Set Sail for Success
Summer is a time to explore, learn and have fun. For Think Summer students at Vista Heritage Global Academy, every day brought a new opportunity to do all three. One volunteer event gave more than 20 middle school students the chance to experience engineering firsthand with support from 10 PIMCO volunteers and the Child Creativity Lab.
Through this enriching activity, these young scholars explored engineering by designing and building their own Child Creativity Lab Wind-Powered Sail Cars alongside PIMCO volunteers. They created blueprints, used upcycled materials and applied engineering fundamentals as they brought their ideas to life.
“It was really fun,” said Jared, a sixth grader at Vista Heritage Global Academy. “Our PIMCO mentor really motivated and inspired us. He gave us so many ideas. Even though we came in second, I learned that working as a team and doing your best are what really matter.”
According to The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM, exposing students to STEAM education encourages them to take thoughtful risks, engage in experiential learning, embrace collaboration and work through the creative process.
“This work is important because it gives students the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning while exploring sustainability,” said Katy McInnes, director of partnerships at Child Creativity Lab. “We want them to leave feeling empowered and confident in their understanding of STEM careers and knowing those careers are within their reach.”
As the students focused on the functionality of their designs, PIMCO volunteers lent a helping hand, empowering them to tackle challenges head on. From discussing which materials would help their sail cars move faster to encouraging them to test, adjust and try again, the volunteers boosted student confidence and resilience with every step.
With each attempt, these aspiring engineers strengthened their problem-solving skills and discovered that engineering is a process of creativity, collaboration and perseverance.
“At PIMCO, we value education and strongly support the work organizations like Think Together bring to the community,” said Fred Nguyen, an enterprise risk manager at PIMCO. “I hope the students gain a better understanding of what engineering is all about. Their competitive spirit was strong, and it was inspiring to see how excited they were throughout the activity.”
For 13 years, PIMCO has partnered with Think Together to inspire the next generation of leaders to think outside the box and explore careers in STEM. Through its ongoing support, PIMCO has contributed more than $270,000 to expand learning opportunities for youth across California, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to pursue their future goals.
