On May 4, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) Education Outreach personnel and Savannah River Site (SRS) volunteers connected with over 2,000 spectators at the annual Dreams, Imagination and Gift (DIG) STEM Festival in Williston, South Carolina.

DIG provides STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) opportunities to promote rural growth and development. This year, SRNS provided $30,000 in sponsorship for both the DIG Scholar Enrichment Academy (after-school program) and the DIG STEM Festival. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Volunteers Blythe Waters and Brad Wilson led a hands-on binary code activity to demonstrate how computers communicate.

“This annual STEM celebration is a great opportunity to show students how their personal strengths and hobbies can cross over into STEM careers,” said Cindy Hewitt, SRNS Education Outreach Specialist. “SRNS plays a pivotal role in DIG’s ability to inspire, mentor and empower children in rural South Carolina and we often provide financial and volunteer support to engage more students in STEM.”

The 2024 DIG STEM Festival showcased over 50 regional exhibitors who provided hands-on activities, live performances, interactive demonstrations and family-oriented STEM entertainment. “We had some incredible exhibits this year, with representatives traveling from as far as Raleigh, North Carolina to support this event,” said Steven D.K. Brown, President and Founder of DIG.

“We appreciate SRNS’ ongoing support, and we hope that more organizations see the value in our program to expand and reach more children in the community.”

SRNS Associate Systems Engineer Brad Wilson and SRNS Systems Engineer Apprentice Blythe Waters volunteered at DIG STEM to teach budding students about the binary code. During their hands-on activity, students wrote the first letter of their name in zeros and ones, with each number represented by a different color bead. The activity allowed students to embed their own name in a binary code on each bracelet.

“Volunteering with SRS Education Outreach is a great way to get involved within the community and meet people across the Site,” said Wilson. “I loved engaging with spectators and introducing them to new concepts involving STEM and my career field.” “One of my goals this year was to expand my volunteer efforts,” said Waters.

“My favorite part of DIG STEM was getting to teach all different ages about a small part of the computer field and witnessing the different reactions from each child that participated.” Waters further explained, “When I was a kid, I attended many different STEM events that ultimately inspired my career decision. Making the time to volunteer and give back to the next generation helps to positively represent SRS and bring future prospects to the Information Technology department.”

Since 2015, SRNS has donated over $171,000 to DIG’s programs and festivals to help this grassroot organization make dreams a reality. For more information about SRS Education Outreach, click here. Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, a Fluor and HII partnership company, is responsible for the management and operations of the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, South Carolina.