The STEM camp is designed to engage the minds of students by allowing them to have hands on experience in a laboratory setting with a variety of STEM related subjects.
The mission of FSU PC’s STEM Institute is to promote educational excellence by providing educators with professional skills, creating quality learning opportunities for students, cultivating regional partnerships and developing new STEM education programs.
The FSU PC STEM camp allows STEM professionals and local educators an opportunity to inspire students to have an interest in STEM by giving them hands on experience by learning in various areas, including: chemistry, marine biology, coding, robotics and electronics.
According to Dr. John Smith, FSU PC STEM Institute Director, the STEM camp would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors like NSWC PCD, who provides a sizeable grant each year.
“Because of the grant, students are able to attend the STEM camp essentially free. NSWC PCD has been working the funding and manpower for several years by providing volunteer hours, mentors and teachers for this educational event,” said Smith.
The funds originate with the Department of Defense’s DoD STEM program, formerly called the National Defense Education Program. These funds are distributed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to Naval facilities participating in ONR’s Naval STEM program.
Ed Linsenmeyer, NSWC PCD STEM outreach coordinator, offered advice to the STEM camp students.
“Almost any job you look for now follows some aspect of STEM. I encourage students to look into many of the two year associate of science programs that are offered,” said Linsenmeyer. “From there, students can decide which path they’d like to take to get to their choice of a STEM career. This gives them an opportunity to learn more about STEM programs and various aspects of the STEM field.”
The STEM camp has also sparked interest among students in surrounding counties.
After becoming involved in the FSU PC STEM Camp years ago, Kathy Nelson, instructor at Florida Panhandle Technical College, began a STEM club to foster learning to students in rural counties. During opening remarks at the welcoming ceremony, Nelson gave words of encouragement to the students in attendance.
“The neat thing about this camp is that students have the opportunity to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math from the experts; from those people who have gotten their educations and are now professionals in the STEM field, particularly from our Navy base,” said Nelson.
“Students should talk to these experts and find out how they got where they are in their careers. These individuals are making a wonderful difference in our world.”
The STEM camp began in 2005 through the efforts of former NSWC PCD Technical Directors Dr. Ace Summey and Dr. Dave Skinner, former NWC PCD Department Head Leon Walters, Linsenmeyer, along with academic leaders including Bay County School District Board Member Ginger Littleton.
NSWC PCD employees involved as instructors at the STEM camp included: Daniel Flisek, Paige George, Rachel Ivy, Kinsey Naud and Gavin Taylor.
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2016 11:09 |
| Story ID: | 202066 |
| Location: | PANAMA CITY, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NSWC PCD Supports 11th Annual FSU PC STEM Camp, by Katherine Mapp, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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