Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) and YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties (YMCA) have partnered to bring TPU Explorer Days back to the YMCA's Before and After School Care program at three Tacoma elementary schools this December: Franklin Elementary, Bryant Montessori, and Delong Elementary.
Explorer Days is an interactive program created to introduce students to the essential power, water, and rail services TPU provides, as well as the careers that make those services possible. During this session, students will explore different aspects of utility science each week, like electrical circuits, drinking water sources, and security technology. The program engages students through hands-on activities, games, and demonstrations, and encourages curiosity about the technology and sciences that keep our community running.
“We are excited to partner with the YMCA and to host this program in three of their Before and After School Care locations in Tacoma,” said Rochelle Gandour-Rood, TPU education outreach manager & sustainability liaison. “The program is part of TPU’s broader commitment to bring STEM education directly to students in fun and accessible ways. We also hope they’ll be inspired to work for TPU in the future.”
This past spring, the Explorer Days schedule included:
Week 1: An introduction to TPU and Tacoma Rail through interactive card games.
Week 2: Students explored Utility Technology Services through hands-on activities involving wires, switches and circuits.
Week 3: A deep dive into Tacoma Water with games and water-based activities.
Week 4: Tacoma Power’s archaeology team provided the students with firsthand archaeological experience, and will discuss how landscapes and environments form culture and food practices.
"We are thrilled to bring TPU Explorer Days back to three of our Before and After School child care sites,” said Holly Tedford, YMCA Child Care Executive Director. “The hands-on learning experiences the kids are receiving are not only engaging and fun but also open their eyes to career paths they may not have known existed. Opportunities like this are special, and we’re grateful for TPU’s dedication to our community."
Each after-school session lasts 45 minutes. By bringing these activities directly into Tacoma schools, TPU and YMCA are helping students connect their classroom experiences to the world and community around them.