Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Paul Gohmann

Paul Gohmann helping students with a coding project on Scratch.

Paul Gohmann

Information Security Consultant, Eli Lilly & Company

Paul Gohmann was a new STEM Partner for the 2019-2020 school year. During the past school year, Mr. Gohmann volunteered with Ms. Kelly’s 3rd-grade class at an Indianapolis school. Now, more than ever, we have begun to truly recognize the hard and impactful work that teachers in Indiana and across the world do for their students. Paul was motivated to become a STEM Partner when he noticed the shortcomings in the American education system. He felt that if he volunteered for just a few hours each month, it would help out both the teacher and the students. Paul was right, and Ms. Kelly and her students agree that his involvement as a STEM Partner has made an impact!

“I believe STEM education should be started at an early age, but there aren’t nearly enough resources available within our education system.”

Paul encourages students to think through problems they have with their coding activity.

Similar to the experiences of the Partners we’ve previously highlighted, Paul’s students were appreciative of him and enjoyed his presence. After regular visits, Paul started to receive fist bumps, hugs, and high fives from the students he worked with. In the classroom, the students light up around Paul. They don’t hesitate to ask him for his help and input as they complete their work. Any visitor to the classroom could see how the students always listen intently as Paul helped them think through problems they needed to solve. 

Paul reflected on his experience, noting that he’s “Adding value not only as a helper in the classroom for the programming sessions with the students but also as an adult who can simply acknowledge that each student is a valuable person.” Paul’s genuine encouragement of the students helps build students up and feel that they are absolutely valuable. Paul always encourages the students after completing their coding, working through bugs, and trying their best! With the essence of a true STEM Partner and role model, Paul believes that encouragement helps students understand that they can do anything!

Problem-solving students collaborating to complete their coding assignment.

The desire to positively impact one’s community is a common motivator for volunteering. In this case and most cases for our Partners, not only has Paul had an impact on his classroom, but the classroom has impacted him. He has gained a better perspective on the challenges teachers face. Through volunteering as a STEM Partner, Paul realized that he can contribute to improving how we educate students. Paul and his classroom experience personify the beauty of the STEM Partners program and how it positively influences teachers, students, and volunteers!

“I’ve gained a better perspective on the challenges teachers face and that I can - even in a small way- contribute to better educating our youth.”

With a better understanding of the challenges in schooling, Paul wants to share this advice with potential STEM Partners:

• You don’t need to be a scientist or a “brainiac” to help out students.

• Teachers need and will appreciate helping hands! Offering a few hours each month will help tremendously!

• Consider being a STEM Partner! 

Paul passes out Valentine’s to all the students in the class, calling out each student by name.

Thank you, Paul, for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Ms. Kelly and her students for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be successful without the commitment by its STEM Partners and teachers!

COVID-19 has put an added strain on teachers in Indiana. With the next school year quickly approaching, consider donating your time to assist teachers with their STEM education curriculum, and enrich the STEM learning environment in the classroom. To apply to be a STEM Partner, click here.

Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Steve Gillman

Steve Gillman, Eli Lilly and Company retiree

When Steve walks down the hallway at Fox Hill Elementary he’s greeted by enthusiastic students. From sharing a bright smile to offering a fist bump, the students Mr. Gillman has volunteered with in the past are eager to show appreciation of their friend. These cheerful greetings illuminate Steve’s love for the STEM Partners program: the opportunity to build a lasting rapport with students!

Steve Gillman (left), Ms. Nelson (right) and her 4th grade class.

Steve Sorting isopods for the class’s environmental factors experiment.

In preparation for Ms. Nelson’s lesson over investigating environmental factors, Steve showed up nearly an hour and a half before the science lesson to set up for the experiment. He meticulously arranged all the materials including sorting two variations of living isopods. In doing so, he allowed Ms. Nelson to maximize her teaching time, providing more time for the students to complete their writing assignments and math problems. As a best practice, Steve urges other STEM Partners to volunteer and help out with activities that aren’t glamorous like setting up experiments before class, making copies, and even helping with lunch duty. He explains that those small tasks will go a long way with fostering a relationship with your partner teacher.

“Try to refrain from being an expert. For instance, if a kid asks a question, assist them in finding the answer.” Steve suggests this best practice to new and existing STEM Partners.

Students and Steve observe the two types of isopods responding to the different moisture environments.

During the experiment, Steve assisted Ms. Nelson in walking around the room to listen in on the different workgroups. Steve stopped at each group to ask thought-provoking questions about the behaviors the students observed during the experiment. Effortlessly, Steve called on the students by name and encouraged them to think through what they were observing. Steve’s skill with interactions with the students has been cultivated over the years through his participation in STEM Partners and other volunteer roles.

“Volunteering with this program helps me understand the challenges kids in low-income areas face, and it helps to bridge the generational gap,” says Steve. “In the long run, I hope the program assists in reducing the economic gap by allowing the kids to understand that their STEM education can lead to successful careers.”

Students observing the different behaviors of two isopod types in an effort to classify the insects by type.

Steve values this program and wants to encourage others to make a difference in their local schools by participating too! If you’re not sure whether you should become a STEM Partner, Steve suggests going to shadow an existing Partner. You can arrange a time to accompany the Partner to their classroom and see the program in action. After you’ve shadowed a Partner, Steve wants you to give the STEM Partners program a try! 

Steve passes a cup of 8 squirming isopods to a hesitant student.

Thank you, Steve, for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Ms. Nelson and her fourth-graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment by its STEM Partners and teachers!

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Steve Gillman has volunteered with the STEM Partners program for 6 years. He has worked with a school in the Indianapolis Public School Corporation, Fox Hill Elementary, and Northview Middle School. He is currently volunteering at Ms. Nelson’s 4th-grade class at Fox Hill and at Ms. Brooks’s 6th-grade class at Northview Middle School.

Volunteer Spotlight: STEM Partner Stephanie Stout

STEM Partners is an innovative program that connects talented teachers with experienced STEM professionals to implement hands-on, minds-on curriculum. Employees from Eli Lilly and Company, IU Health and HNTB volunteer as "STEM Partners" for the duration of a school year, working one-on-one with a teacher to create and enrich the STEM learning environment in the classroom. We are excited to highlight our volunteers and share their rewarding experiences in this volunteer spotlight series!

Stephanie (on the left) pictured with Miss Ashby’s second-grade students.

Stephanie Stout
Research Scientist
Eli Lilly and Company

Stephanie has been a STEM Partner since 2014. Over the years she has volunteered at Blue Academy in Decatur Township and Sycamore Elementary School in Avon, where she currently volunteers with Miss Ashby’s 2nd graders.

Growing up with a mother who taught, Stephanie Stout spent quite a bit of time in the classroom and loved it! Throughout her schooling, Stephanie had several science teachers who inspired and fostered her love for science. For Stephanie, having the opportunity to return to the classroom - an environment she loved as a kid - to share her enthusiasm for science with young students is what drew her to volunteer as a STEM Partner.

“How often do you walk into a room and see 25 faces beam with excitement that you’ve arrived and that they are about to start something fun?” she says of the 2-hour sessions she attends twice per month.

During her five impactful years as a STEM Partner, Stephanie has learned that kids value engaging role models. Stephanie understands that young children yearn for adult role models, and even spending a few moments with them in small groups can help build a relationship.

“Engaging with children can sometimes be intimidating for adults with limited exposure to kids,” she says. “But I have found that students (and teachers) are incredibly gracious when you put yourself out there.”

When Stephanie is interacting with students, Miss Ashby recognizes the clear benefit of Stephanie’s presence in the classroom: students are able to get more hands-on time in small groups because Stephanie is there to assist in leading discussions and providing guidance. Without Stephanie’s presence, it would be a challenge for Miss Ashby to provide enough attention to each group around the classroom.

Although everyone would like to volunteer, it can be tough to find time in your schedule for it. Due to Stephanie’s strong commitment to the program, she plans ahead to establish time for STEM Partners. Stephanie crafts her schedule early in the school year and blocks out her calendar with “out-of-office” notations. Of course, there are days where Stephanie’s schedule is packed and she doesn’t think she can take time away from work, but once she’s in the classroom she always enjoys herself!

Stephanie’s advice for new STEM Partners is to be persistent if you encounter difficulty in communications - or even scheduling - with your paired teacher. Stephanie learned that teachers juggle multiple streams of communication and additional demands that can make connecting with a STEM Partner difficult. Don’t let this challenge discourage you! Maintain persistence and reach out to TechPoint Foundation for Youth or your STEM Partner contacts at your organization for help! For those who aren’t sure whether STEM Partners would be a good fit for them, Stephanie adamantly states that the program will likely be one of the most rewarding parts of your day or week! 

Thank you Stephanie for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Miss Ashby and her second graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment of the STEM Partners volunteers and teachers!