Since the school year began, STEM enthusiasts have reached out to the Kelsey Museum in droves to learn about archaeology, the challenges archaeologists face, and the technologies they use to uncover the past. As members of the FIRST® LEGO® League, these K–12 students are participating in the UNEARTHED™ challenge, a robot game involving the exploration and excavation of a dig site.
In addition to our October Family Day, which welcomed more than 1,000 visitors (and especially LEGO Leaguers) in three hours, many Kelsey staff and students have spoken with challenge participants to support them in their charge. Manager of Digital Assets Chris Motz was especially prolific, personally advising 19 teams via Zoom and email over the course of the fall semester. The “Ask an Archaeologist: Tech Edition” webinar he did for the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) has more than 10,000 views on YouTube, and the AIA estimates that the session had a live audience of 5,414.
Associate Director Jennifer Kirker also had a chance to mentor an eager group of students from the GearShift team in Fremont, California—where she attended 8th and 12th grades! Thanks to their collaboration, the team recently advanced to regionals to participate in “The NorCal Gold Rush Relics Championship.”
“I was thrilled when one of the students reached out for a meeting and discovered the connection to my old school district. These students are so smart, creative, and thoughtful. They have really impressed me,” Jennifer said. “I don't know who has benefited more from our time together, because it has brought me so much joy to share my love of archaeology with them. As much as I try to stay objective, I can’t help rooting for them to win!”
