Reported by: Maizatul Zolkapli, Ahmad Sabirin Zoolfakar, Rozina Abdul Rani and Azrif Manut

Fostering children's interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) can be done easily and can even be cultivated from a young age. For example, one can start by taking them to science and technology exhibitions to expose them to these fields. Additionally, introducing them to STEM-based workshops, such as basic modelling and robotics, can be beneficial. Hence, on 19^th May 2023, a group of final year students of the Bachelor Degree in Electronic Engineering with Honors from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in collaboration with IEEE EDS Malaysia Chapter conducted the STEM4FUN: Start Them Young program with the pre-school students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Seksyen 7 Shah Alam, Selangor.  The program commenced at 8:00 am and concluded at 12:00 pm. It was led by Anis Suaida binti Mohd Annuary, who served as the leader of the program, and supported by Ir. Dr. Maizatul Zolkapli, the advisor for the program. The program had involved a total of 100 pre-school students who were divided into 4 groups. Each group was assisted by UiTM students in conducting the activities. This program is part of the community engagement activity (SULAM) under the Engineering in Society course.

The first activity involved coloring and assembling paper and LED lanterns. The assistance provided by the final year students must have been beneficial in guiding them through the assembly process. It is impressive to note that many students were able to assemble the lantern without help, and some even discovered new colors by mixing different ones. This shows how hands-on activities can spark curiosity and problem-solving skills in young minds.

In the second activity, using soft blocks, the students were given the freedom to assemble the blocks as they liked, encouraging them to be even more creative and innovative. Throughout the program, the students gained new knowledge and had the opportunity to sharpen their thinking and hands-on skills.

Overall, it's clear that the program which gained support from the Ministry of Education Malaysia was successful in providing the students with new knowledge and enhancing their thinking and hands-on skills. Such programs are essential in nurturing a generation of creative and innovative individuals, and they play a significant role in inspiring interest in STEM fields from an early age. It is hoped that the program can help in addressing the issue of declining interest in the Science stream among students. When students are engaged and interested in STEM from a young age, these children are more likely to be better prepared for future academic pursuits and potential STEM-based careers. This, in turn, can lead to an increase in the number of students pursuing STEM-based careers in the future and having a skilled workforce in these areas can significantly contribute to the country's progress and development.

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