Bazinga! Exploring STEM at Camp

What do your children or grandchildren want to be when they grow up? Do they want to be scientists, doctors, or engineers? What about farmers or video game designers? Maybe they want to work with animals? Or would they rather play with computers? A few days at STEM Camp might help them decide. And, they’ll have fun along the way!

Boys and girls currently in 5th through 7th grades from an eleven-county region in southern Ohio are invited to attend STEM Camp at Canter’s Cave this summer. The region includes Adams, Brown, Gallia, Jackson, Highland, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton counties. The camp is being planned and implemented by OSU Extension professionals from several of these counties. Both 4-H and non-4-H youth are invited to attend.

The camp will begin after lunch on Monday, June 6, and end late morning on Wednesday, June 8. It will be held at the Elizabeth L. Evans Outdoor Education Center/Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp in Jackson, Ohio. The camp is an ideal setting for such a program, offering an abundance of natural resources and traditional camp activities. During the three-day, two night camp, participants will participate in both special workshops focused on STEM and in some of those traditional camp activities – with a STEM twist.

What’s STEM? It stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. But, this camp won’t feel the least bit like school. Participants will select two STEM areas to explore in-depth. Choices include Aerospace, Robotics, Environmental Science, Food Science, Animal Science, Life Science, Engineering, and Forensic Science. Participants will do lots of hands-on activities and learn about careers in the field. They’ll also enjoy team building “engineering” challenges, explore the night sky, and have some fun during a traditional campfire. And, they may have to learn something about food science as they work together to prepare their evening snacks. This year’s camp will also feature a visit from Ohio State’s Dr. Bob (a science guy), a new Monsanto engineering challenge, and a lesson or two on astronomy as campers explore the night sky with Dr. Tim Hamilton, Director of the Clark Planetarium at Shawnee State University.

The fee to participate in STEM Camp is only $65 per camper. Individual county 4-H programs may offer additional scholarships to further reduce the cost of camp to families. Check with your local Extension office for details.

Registrations will be accepted from February 1 until the camp capacity of 90 campers is reached or until May 1, whichever comes first. Registered youth will receive additional information and forms through the mail that will need to be completed and returned prior to the start of camp.

An event brochure and registration form is available on the web at go.osu.edu/STEMCamp16. For more information, contact your local county Extension office Tracy Winters, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, OSU Extension Gallia County via phone at 740.446.7007 or email at [email protected].

STEM Camp is sponsored in part by a grant from the Ohio 4-H Foundation and OSU Extension in Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto, and Vinton counties. Camp is open to all youth completing 5th through 7th grades this spring without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or disability. Youth do not have to be currently enrolled in the county’s 4-H program to participate in STEM Camp.