VICKSBURG, Miss.— Another summer of fun-filled and enriching U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) youth camps has ended, sending local students back to school with new knowledge and a deeper appreciation for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
ERDC kicked off this summer’s youth camps with Camp Invention for elementary students in May. In addition, Gains in Education of Mathematics and Science, or GEMS, camps for middle school and high school students took place in June and July. The GEMS camps were hosted at ERDC Headquarters, the Academy of Innovation and River City Early College in Vicksburg.
The mission of GEMS is to interest young people in STEM careers early enough that they explore the appropriate academic training. The program is based on a multi-disciplinary educational curriculum and focuses on age and grade-appropriate, hands-on activities in science, engineering, mathematics, computational sciences, computational biology, biomedical sciences, chemistry and biology.
Students spoke highly of their experience with GEMS 1 at ERDC. Maddie Carter and Samantha Kirby, both students at Germantown Middle School, enjoyed various fun activities and learning about the broad STEM professional field.
“It’s been a fun camp,” said Carter. “We’ve participated in a lot of challenges and activities in STEM. It’s been fun exploring multiple fields within STEM. This camp allows us to see what we’re good at and what we could work on in STEM. It’s been a beneficial experience.”
“It’s cool to see how everyone’s STEM jobs work together,” said Kirby. “The camp allows us to try different aspects of STEM. This way, we’d have an idea of what we’d like to do if we come back to work for ERDC or look for a job in the field somewhere else.”
Former campers and current college students volunteered their time as mentors. Travis Webb, a sophomore mechanical engineering major at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Near Peer mentor for GEMS 1, felt honored to give back to the camp that helped shape his pathway to STEM.
“As someone who went through the GEMS camps, I’m happy to come back to help the students have as much fun as I did,” said Webb. “It’s a rewarding experience. It also feels great to come and give back to the community and program that gave so much to me.”
Kyler Farrar, a Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) intern with ERDC’s Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) Censors and Integration Branch, appreciates how ERDC gives back to its community’s youth by preparing them for the future.
“It’s joyous to see so many students from different backgrounds find interest in the different aspects of robotics,” said Farrar. “ERDC’s outreach makes me happy because the agency is a big part of Vicksburg. I believe the more ERDC gives to the community, the more the community gives back. I’m an example of that because I participated in these camps when I was younger, and now I’m working here.”
Virginia Dickerson, an operations research analyst and one of the camp’s directors, was pleased to see the GEMS Camps have another successful summer.
“Students from Vicksburg and surrounding areas have enjoyed the AEOP and GEMS camps,” said Dickerson. “The hands-on activities spark curiosity and help students understand scientific principles in a fun way.”