ST. JOSEPH — On Friday, June 1, 120 Eastside Connections STEM Club students in the third through eighth grade visited the U.S. Coast Guard station in St. Joseph.

During the hands-on visit, students gained a better understanding of how the Coast Guard uses technology for their search and rescue, law enforcement and marine safety mission.

Eastside students also toured the Coast Guard’s operation center and learned how technology, math and science are used to track boats using sonar, radar and GPS, to name a few. STEM club members also took a boat ride in a cutter down the St. Joseph river and learned how Coast Guard officials use technology as part of their jobs.

The students were also shown the various rescue and survival equipment and learned about careers in the Coast Guard. 

As part of the STEM club, ECS students engage in project-based learning and educational field trips. This year, students have dissected sea lamprey, studied their own DNA with nationally renowned scientists at the University of Notre Dame and engaged in engineering activities at Southwestern Michigan College.