STEAM Box and Arise youth sit down with "Tacos," a passionate STEM educator and former contestant on LEGO Masters Season 3. Tacos shares her journey from studying architecture to utilizing LEGO and other hands-on materials to teach structural integrity and problem-solving to students. She opens up about the realities of being a woman in highly competitive STEM fields, offering vital advice to young women on remaining tenacious and assertive. The conversation also dives deep into navigating imposter syndrome on national television, managing the intense pressure of reality TV, and maintaining mental wellness. Tacos even reveals how a LEGO building technique known as "greebling" helps soothe her anxiety. Plus, expect plenty of fun-filled banter about favorite LEGO sets, video games, and what it’s really like to hang out with Will Arnett on set.
#STEMEducation #WomenInSTEAM #LEGOMasters #MentalWellness #SteamboxPodcast #HandsOnLearning #EngineeringCareers #ImposterSyndrome #JoyfulRebellion #GirlsInSTEAM

Taking her artist name from a CHamoru creation goddess, Fu'una discusses how she intertwines her indigenous identity and family history in Guam with her creative practice.

Throughout the conversation, she opens up about the physical demands of large scale mural painting the sacrifices required to balance a full-time job with a creative passion and her critical perspective on the environmental and exploitative impacts of generative AI.

The youth also join the dialogue, sharing their own candid stories about navigating parental expectations, pursuing their passions, and protecting their creative freedom.

Ultimately, Fu'una leaves the next generation with a powerful message: start early, learn to work with the right people, and stay fiercely authentic to your own unique vision.

#SteamboxPodcast #ProvidenceArt #CHamoruCulture #IndigenousArtists #CreativeProcess #YouthEmpowerment #ArtAndIdentity #MuralArt #RhodeIslandCreators #AriseYouth

In this special presentation from STEAM Box, the STEAM Box Allstars, a diverse group of high school students from across Rhode Island plan their 3rd annual Joyful Rebellion mental wellness event

The students have a remarkably candid conversation about the unique pressures facing their generation that older adults often misunderstand

They open up about the heavy realities driving their need for mental health support, including the looming fears of ICE and deportation, anxiety over global conflicts, the isolating effects of digital learning, and the difficulty of discussing mental health within immigrant families

As they look forward to community building, therapy dogs, art, and jiu-jitsu at their upcoming event, these young leaders remind us that protecting your peace and finding hope is the ultimate rebellion

#JoyfulRebellion #YouthMentalHealth #SteamboxPodcast #GenZVoices #MentalWellness #EndBurnout #StudentLeaders #ImmigrantFamilies #ProvidenceYouth #FindingHope

In the final STEAM Box podcast recorded at the Boys and Girls Club of Pawtucket, We sit down with the Panthers for an unfiltered, hilarious, and insightful conversation

The episode kicks off by celebrating a newly crowned Youth of the Year, diving into the rigorous interview process and the realities of sharing the spotlight with Big time siblings

The crew doesn't hold back on their hottest takes, debating the superiority of OG anime, Android phones, and who would honestly survive a zombie apocalypse

The group opens up about overcoming imposter syndrome, changing their beliefs on marriage and karma, and navigating the overwhelming pressures of adulthood

From calling out the older generation for misunderstanding today's youth burnout to finding hope in sports, media design, and genuine friendships, these young leaders prove the future is bright

Real talk, laughs, and a memorable farewell from the STEAM Box BGC Panthers!

#SteamboxPodcast #BoysAndGirlsClub #YouthOfTheYear #YouthVoices #ImposterSyndrome #GenZ #FutureLeaders #TeenMentalHealth #PodcastCommunity #ZombieApocalypseSurvival

In this special live episode, high school seniors Daniel and Zon share their unfiltered perspectives on the reality of artificial intelligence. Recorded live at the CSREA AI symposium, this conversation digs into how teenagers are truly experiencing AI today.

Our guests from Highlander Charter School and ARISE explore the "toxic" codependency of young people using AI bots as their best friends instead of forming real human connections, and how relying on AI for schoolwork is stripping away critical thinking, making students "lazy," and stifling originality.

Join the discussion as these youth leaders debate whether AI is a powerful tool for innovation or a dangerous weapon capable of creating harmful deepfakes, and discuss how we might redesign technology to help us rebuild our social connections. Unfortunately, the crowd wasn’t mic’d up, so just imagine them going absolutely berserk at these AI Truth Bombs 😁

#STEAMBoxPodcast #AIinEducation #StudentVoices #TechEthics #ArtificialIntelligence #Deepfakes #YouthLeadership #FutureOfLearning #EdTech #TeenMentalHealth

In this episode of the #1 podcast in education STEAM Box X ARISE sit down with Janella Watson of Watson Creative Consulting. Together, we discuss the real world impacts of Artificial Intelligence on young people, exploring both the wonders and worries of our rapidly changing tech landscape. Learn about the hidden environmental costs of AI data centers, the ethical dilemmas surrounding deepfakes, and the tension between using AI as a helpful tool versus a crutch that replaces original human thought and artistry. They also tackle the double standards of AI use in the classroom between teachers and students.
Beyond technology, Janella shares inspiring insights from her career advocating for inclusive representation in children's media, highlighting her work developing diverse characters for Sesame Street and her consulting projects for Cartoon Network and Paw Patrol. Tune in for a powerful conversation on protecting authentic human creativity, finding everyday joy, and practicing hope in a digital age!
#STEAMBoxPodcast #ARISE #ArtificialIntelligence #AIEthics #FutureOfEducation #DiverseRepresentation #EdTech #CreativeConsulting #MediaRepresentation #StudentPerspectives

STEAM Box’s host Bubbly and the youth team at ARISE sit down with SilverMoon LaRose, a member of the Narragansett Tribe and an educator at Rhode Island's Tomaquag Museum.

Silver Moon shares profound insights into the culture and history of Southern New England's native people, highlighting the beautiful, communal tradition of handwoven splint basketry.The conversation explores the connections between traditional ecological knowledge and science, emphasizing that indigenous practices are rooted in long-term environmental data and lived realities

Listeners will also hear a candid discussion about the complexities of intersectional identity, the harmful impact of mass media stereotypes, and the importance of supporting authentic indigenous representation like the show Reservation Dogs.

Finally, the group discusses the powerful reframing of museum artifacts as ancestral belongings, offering a powerful lesson in resilience, education, and cultural preservation

#SteamboxPodcast #TomaquagMuseum #NarragansettTribe #IndigenousEducation #IndigenousIdentity #NativeAmericanHistory #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #SplintBasketry #IndigenousRepresentation

In this episode of Mangu Con Salami, STEAM Box youth from Highlander Charter School, open up with special guests Elliot Rivera from the 10 Men program and (Name Redacted) from the RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence
The group gets into some honest real talk about the unspoken gender expectations young people navigate every day, from the financial pressures of dating to societal beauty standards
Together, they tackle tough questions about play-fighting, physical boundaries, and the root causes of violence in relationships
Listeners will also hear an insightful breakdown of toxic versus healthy masculinity, the dangers of emotional suppression, and how unlearning the myth that "vulnerability is weakness" can become a person's greatest power
Join us to hear how the next generation is breaking down stereotypes and learning to communicate.
#GenderRoles #HealthyMasculinity #ToxicMasculinity #VulnerabilityIsPower #TeenVoices #EndDomesticViolence #YouthEmpowerment #RelationshipBoundaries #RealTalk #ManguConSalami