Published on: May 19, 2025
Associated Grocers, Inc. recently joined forces with Teach For America for an engaging STEM Demonstration Day, connecting local industry partners with aspiring young minds. The event, held at Lowery Middle School in Donaldsonville, LA, aimed to provide students with direct exposure to various Louisiana STEM careers. Representing Associated Grocers, Ryan Williams (Director of Supply Chain Management) and Monica Vincent-Walker (Director of Risk Management) were key presenters. They were among representatives from nine other local businesses, including BASF, CF Industries, Entergy, ExxonMobil, Hancock Whitney, LSU Museum of Natural Science, Shell, and Turner Industries.
The core purpose of the STEM Demonstration Day was for businesses to illustrate the real-world application of STEM principles and highlight diverse career pathways within Louisiana STEM Careers. This direct interaction serves as a powerful way for students to make tangible connections and begin to envision their own professional futures in these fields.
Ryan and Monica designed an interactive, hands-on experience that allowed students to explore the crucial relationship between thermal energy and insulation in maintaining the freshness of groceries during distribution. In a practical exercise, student teams were tasked with designing and building a container to prevent an ice cube from melting. This activity cleverly simulated real-world cold chain logistics scenarios prevalent in the grocery delivery industry, offering a glimpse into potential STEM careers in supply chain and logistics. To further connect the concepts, Ryan and Monica explained the vital role of cold storage in ensuring the Food Safety and quality of essential groceries like milk, meat, and produce, highlighting another facet of Louisiana STEM careers related to food science and safety.