Hanford’s ‘STEM Day’ Scores Big With High School Students

RICHLAND, Wash. – About 50 students from an area high school recently visited the Volpentest HAMMER Federal Training Center for STEM Day, an interactive event educating local students on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) mission, the Hanford Site and career opportunities available to the next-generation workforce.

“I had so much fun,” said Selah Gutierrez, a ninth grader at Chiawana High School in Pasco, Washington. “I never really thought about how many different job opportunities there are at the Hanford Site and getting to meet some of the workers firsthand was a really neat experience. The visit gave me a lot to think about, including avenues I can explore after high school.”

HAMMER, which stands for Hazardous Materials Management and Emergency Response, is located on the Hanford Site and managed by EM Richland Operations Office contractor Hanford Mission Integration Solutions (HMIS). STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The students’ visit kicked off with a welcome from HAMMER Director Paul Vandervert.

“HAMMER delivers safety, health and emergency responder training, which is focused on meeting current and future workforce needs,” said Vandervert. “It’s exciting to share Hanford Site career options with students, especially when you see them actively engaged in a realistic work setting. It’s exciting to speak with students about career opportunities at Hanford. Ultimately, we want them to consider working at the site, and visits like this help us make that initial connection.”

Students divided into smaller groups for in-depth, hands-on demonstrations and instruction during the visit.

Throughout the day, they learned about various HMIS organizations, their capabilities and training protocols. Hanford Patrol highlighted the Patrol Training Academy, Emergency Vehicle Operations course and K-9 program. The Hanford Fire Department gave students a fire response overview, including a visit to the six-story training tower on the facility. The day concluded with information on career and intern opportunities at Hanford and how DOE prepares its future workers.

“It was really interesting learning what happens at Hanford and getting to see the various operations that go on here,” said Ryan Abastillas, a Chiawana High School student.

The experience also left an impression on teachers.

“With every trip I take to HAMMER and the Hanford Site, I learn more about the vast opportunities available to students in STEM-related fields,” said Angie Jarvis, a Chiawana High School teacher. “There are so many career opportunities for our students. I am motivated to help them become aware of these opportunities and connect them to resources to make their success in STEM a reality.”

Events like STEM Day support DOE’s STEM Rising initiatives by encouraging science education, outreach efforts and workforce development in disciplines that support the overall DOE mission.