When school doors opened, several middle school students walked into their new classrooms with a strengthened set of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills. These sixth, seventh and eighth-graders enhanced their knowledge at Garland ISD’s inaugural STEM Camp Aug. 3-6 at Bussey Middle School.
“For one week, these students participated in engineering challenges designed around the water crisis,” said STEM Coordinator Tina Garrett. “About one billion people in the world do not have clean water to drink. This camp was based on the global atmosphere, on real-world problems that need real solutions.”
Thanks to a partnership with Discovery Education, GISD’s initial STEM Camp offered the first 100 students who applied for the opportunity a free, fun-filled learning experience.
“This no-cost experience helped students investigate how energy works, discover amazing properties of water, learn our role in conserving the planet’s most valuable resources and explore the engineering principles and design challenges that surround us in everyday life,” Garrett stated. “In addition to all of that, they also got to form friendships with peers from across the district.”
The four-day event featured nine elementary and middle school teachers facilitating interactive challenge stations. Throughout the week, students learned about water properties, its relation to the ecosystem and how it can be filtered via hands-on lessons. For example, STEM Camp day two saw students building a virtual ship to learn the principles of buoyancy, and day three required them to engineer an aquarium terrarium to observe the water cycle at work.
“This was a really amazing and fun place to be,” said Bussey eighth-grader Joseph Gonzales. “Science, technology, engineering and math are all things you really do need in life. This was a really good start for all of us. I am a science honors kid, so this is really going to help me get an edge throughout the year.”
Garrett hopes other students echo Gonzales’ emotion in the future. She and her team are launching initiatives like STEM Camp and last spring’s STEAMposium to help students get excited about STEM courses and careers.
“Our students are the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers. Therefore, we are providing students with fun and exciting opportunities to build skills that will serve them for a lifetime,” she explained. “These kids were engaged and interested in the challenges, which is exciting to me. We want to continue this kind of inspiration and encouragement, so our students are ready for the careers of the future.”
Information provided by Garland ISD.
Photo courtesy of GISD Digital Media Specialist Dave Burton.