接触

While summer months are traditionally viewed as the time to relax and recharge, 为SECS外联主任和辅导员, 它们是一年中最繁忙的. Hundreds of K-12 students annually attend SECS-sponsored STEM camps between June and August to explore their interest in science, 技术, 工程和/或数学. 2023年夏天也不例外, with multiple STEM camps for various age groups taking place daily in the Engineering Center.

机器人训练营的参与者正在进行测试.

Minecraft Basic是最受欢迎的夏令营之一. 夏令营是为熟悉游戏的学生设计的, 每天玩《韦德体育app官网》的人, 但每个挑战都有教育的成分.

“This camp is not just about building; we learn about digital safety, 互联网, 还有人工智能,阿利亚·科布斯说, sixth grade student from Hart Middle School in 罗彻斯特. 阿比盖尔Zanolli, a seventh grader from Notre Dame Middle School in 庞蒂亚克, 她认为夏令营提高了她的创造力. “I always enjoyed playing Minecraft, but I really didn’t know how to build. My mom found this camp to help me better understand the building process. 但不仅仅是建筑, this camp helps me become creative because now I can use my creative skills to build what I really want,她说。.

除了日间营地, 2023年7月, the School of 工程与计算机科学 hosted a Girls in Engineering Academy (GEA) residential camp facilitated by the Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD). The four-week-long residential camp is a result of an ongoing partnership between 韦德体育app官网 and ESD — the creator of GEA — that aims to decrease the gender and minority gaps in engineering professions through exposing girls, 尤其是有色人种的女孩, to STEM with the hope that they will eventually pursue engineering careers.

过去的四年, 每隔星期六, 十月至五月, OU has been providing courses to participants of the GEA program for three-hour sessions. 课程包括数学和科学丰富, 工程和计算机科学概念, 语言艺术理解, 基于项目的STEM活动, 指导, 以及工程职业探索.

Children as young as five years old had an opportunity to experience SECS camps.

“GEA encourages middle and high school girls to embrace their interest in engineering through STEM exploration. We have been working with these girls on Saturdays since they were in sixth grade,比安卡·布莱恩特说, SECS外联助理主任. “现在他们正过渡到十年级, we are very happy to welcome them for four weeks on campus.”

The summer residential camp engages girls over a four-week period, 8 a.m. 到10点.m.星期一至星期五. This is a college immersive experience that gives them an opportunity to sample what OU campus has to offer — from eating in the residential dining commons and learning in lecture halls and college labs to attending the OU Recreational Center and partaking in group activities.

达科塔R., one of the camp participants, is interested in pursuing an education in bioengineering. “我对设计假肢很感兴趣, and this program allows me to develop critical thinking skills and deepen of my understanding of the engineering fields,她分享道。.

她的同伴凯尔西·H., 对工程学的医学方面也很感兴趣, 同意, “I now have a very good understanding of what engineers do. 到目前为止，韦德体育app官网给了我很棒的经历. We like the campus and the activities we are offered here.”

SECS院长Louay Chamra说, 谁是ESD董事会的成员, 强调这一伙伴关系的重要性. “We support GEA as a unique program that is focused not only on engineering, but on the whole child. It empowers participants, traditionally marginalized in STEM fields, to live their best lives. SECS offers scholarships to all program graduates with a GPA of 3.0及以上, who qualify for Pell grants and choose OU to continue their engineering education,他说.

The summer residential camp engaged GEA participants over a four-week period Monday through Friday, 为他们提供身临其境的大学体验.

8月, a new completely sold-out Augmented Reality camp brought to 韦德体育app官网 another cohort of middle school students, eager to create both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments. 参加者了解了虚拟现实与虚拟现实. AR reality and learned about the differences in their programming, demonstrating concepts through building educational environments.

Aishani Das, an eighth grader from 罗彻斯特 Hills and aspiring game designer, found the camp very helpful in learning how to create games in VR. “我想制作自己的游戏应用, and designing in VR allowed me to better understand the process,她说。. “In addition, I really liked an opportunity to test my design in OU’s Augmented Reality Center.”

Considering the importance of STEM education at an early age, children as young as five years old had an opportunity to experience SECS camps. 整个夏天, SECS offered multiple sessions to kindergarten through second-grade students, which proved to be not only successful but also in high demand. More exciting opportunities for younger and older campers to experience OU STEM activities are being planned for next year.