More than 300 students from schools around Connecticut got out of the classroom and spent some time at the Pratt and Whitney Hangar Museum in East Hartford on Thursday.
Today's lesson? Science, Technology, Engineering and Math - or STEM.
"This is one of our biggest events in the country," Kristy Becerra said.
Becerra works for RTX, the parent company for Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace and Raytheon Technologies.
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On Thursday, she helped organize Connecticut STEM Day.
"Math, science, it can feel overwhelming. But if you tie that to everyday concepts, it starts to feel accessible," Becerra said.
The event brought topics like science and math to life with experiments, marshmallow catapults and spaghetti towers.
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"We're learning about the structure of it and how to stabilize it and make sure it doesn't fall," ninth grader Isabella Soto said.
Members of Hartford High School's robotics team were also there, teaching students that they can get into STEM early on.
Junior Shi Yao Li showed them how a club like this can shape a career in aerospace.
"Being on a robotics team, I get to have a sort of entry-level experience into that sort of subject," Yao Li said.
Not only were there a number of activities for students, but they were also able to learn from experts and people with STEM careers.
Erica Ugbo is a manufacturing engineer for Pratt & Whitney, and she helped students practice coding commands.
"I'm really grateful that I had a support team behind me because women and women of color are often underrepresented in STEM," Ugbo said.
She said that's why she was there - to be that support for students.
