K-12 Programs
The Center is committed to leading collaborative efforts that will increase pipeline flow across the full spectrum of people pursing STEM career paths. From our early efforts at mini-STEM camps to our administration of Minnesota’s Project Lead the Way, the Center believes interesting tomorrow’s engineers and technologists begins in grade school.
The Center regularily supports summer camps throughout Minnesota. Please check our summer camp schedule for camps in your area.
CAMPS ENCOURAGE EARLY SUCCESS
The term ‘camp’ evokes images of summer tie-dye projects, canoe races, and ghost stories by the campfire. Campers and parents expect an atmosphere of relaxation and exploration. They anticipate having both the time and the opportunity to learn new things.
Minnesota Center for Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence (MNCEME) partners create the same atmosphere with various science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) camps–minus the ghost stories and talent shows, perhaps. Students and parents have high expectations that campers will learn new things, and MNCEME partners deliver.
STEM camps are presented by each MNCEME partner in a range of formats with a variety of content: overnight summer camps, day camps, Friday camps, girls’ camps, elementary to high-school camps, engineering camps, space camps, and more. Itasca Community College’s camps are even accredited by the American Camp Association.
Overall, STEM camps work to build interest in science, technology, engineering, and math-related education and career pathways. Students apply STEM concepts to projects that are often developed in collaboration with industry. For example, South Central Community College’s Mechatronics camps offer industry-related activities ranging from subject-matter-expert presentations to hands-on development and project fabrication. Director of SCC’s Mechatronics Technology Education Center Doug Laven said, “This learning-by-doing teaches the skill sets needed to excel in STEM careers available in the mechatronics field.”
Camp instructors sometimes observe dramatic changes in the students. At Mesabi Range College STEM camp, one instructor noticed that students came into the camp as individuals, but somewhere along the way, they naturally developed into teams working together to solve engineering-related problems. Teamwork skills are incredibly valuable to employers.
Ed Damiani, instructor at Itasca Community College, strives to generate ongoing excitement and enthusiasm for engineering and related concepts, no matter what the student’s skill level. He builds flexibility into the projects, which ensures that students who come to the camp with more advanced skills are challenged, yet students with limited skills are not overwhelmed. In addition, the camp introduces the possibilities of an engineering career path and advises students on how to prepare for success in a STEM field.
Some camps work specifically to generate interest among girls. At Normandale Community College, the Normandale Girlzz camp collaborated with the KidWind Project to explore wind energy. Girls tend to show more interest in engineering and technology that is related to human or social issues like renewable energy. Instructor Nancy Louwagie said, “Wind energy was a great theme because kids hear about renewable energy and green technology frequently and from many sources. It was easy for them to this particular STEM topic.”
Although the content of the camps vary widely, they share the ability to offer a block of time dedicated to STEM. Itasca Community College Director of Engineering Kim Damiani said, “Camps have the luxury of time, which gives campers the freedom to apply their own concepts to a project, work on multiple solutions, and develop confidence in their problem-solving abilities.”
Career development experts note that personal experience and confidence greatly impact a student’s choice in education and career planning. Suzanne Nordblom, Dean of Engineering and Construction at SCC said, “Students who have early success with engineering or technology or science or math are more likely to pursue education pathways in those areas, and STEM camps offer that experience.”
FUN LINKS
Be an original thinker! You can check out all kinds of manufacturing engineering carrers on this interactive website. Check out this link to the Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME) - Manufacturing is cool - website.
Campers at ZAP Engineering Camp 2009 enjoyed using this free software to design their bridges. Bridge contest
http://www.MnEnergyCareers.org is a site for students, job seekers, and career explorers looking for successful pathways in energy. Visitors can research energy careers, learn about energy education options, and find Minnesota energy employers.
Discover: creativity, imagination, excitement, passion, design, computers, your future: www.discoverengineering.org
Everyday, you enjoy things you may not realize were made in Florida. Behind every product and technology you use, there is a world of manufacturing. Today, in Florida, more than 16,000 different companies and 400,000 people work in the manufacturing field. http://www.madeinflorida.org/index.htm
