5 Summer STEM Programs To Stimulate Young Minds
Summer is here, and many parents and caretakers often search for summer educational programs for their children and younger loved ones.
While there are various nationwide summer camps and programs available, there is also a number of STEM-specific programs for children, teens, and young adults who are interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
Below, take a look at 5 STEM programs to stimulate young minds.
1. Camp Invention
Camp Invention is a STEM summer program that “turns curious students into innovative thinkers,” which was created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The intensive summer program is for students in kindergarten through the sixth grade. Camp Invention has been around for nearly two decades and promises to build confidence, develop creative problem-solving skills, and identify inventors as role models. The program is nationally acclaimed with over 1,600 programs nationwide. The camp is led by local teachers and gives children “the opportunity to become innovators through teamwork and immersive, hands-on creative problem-solving.”
2. Animal Science: Sustainable Animal Husbandry At Cornell University
Cornell University’s Animal Science: Sustainable Animal Husbandry program is ideal for teenagers who are considering an education and career in farming or veterinary medicine, or if your teen just really likes animals. The program is a pre-college summer program in animal husbandry. “In addition to some lectures and classroom discussions, students will acquire real-life experience by touring a variety of animal farms, practicing animal handling techniques, and learning about the relationships between domestic animals and humans,” according to the program’s website. The summer program takes place on Cornell University’s campus in Ithaca, New York and it lasts three weeks. The pre-college program costs $6,310, which includes tuition and room & board.
3. Minority Introduction to Science and Engineering (MITES)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) “wants to see more minority students enter the fields of science and engineering,” so annually during the summer, it hosts the prestigious Minority Introduction to Engineering and Science (MITES) program. The rigorous program is geared towards teenagers and it lasts for six weeks. It’s an opportunity for students to have an introduction to the science and engineering fields. It offers students “fun, fellowship, a taste of college, and classes on such topics as calculus, biochemistry, and physics, to name but a few.” MITES takes place on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and covers the subjects of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, and genomics. The program is free, and the only thing that parents or caretakers will have to worry about is the cost of transportation to and from MIT.
4.iD Tech Camps: Held at the University of Michigan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuW7wilUk5Q
iD Tech Camps hosts a STEM summer program for youngsters ages 12-17, or grades sixth through twelfth at the University of Michigan. The program covers the subjects of coding, computers, electronics, engineering, mathematics, robotics, science, technology, video game design, video gaming, and web design. There are day and residential options available with co-ed dorms for students who take the residential option. Through the program, “teens can explore a top campus, make friends as they master tech skills, and join a community of 400,000 alumni.”
5.Monell Science Apprenticeship Program
The Monell Center offers internships to both high school students and undergrads. The Monell Science Apprenticeship Program “pairs participants up with full-time researchers to offer the extraordinary opportunity to take part in hands-on research training, learn to communicate in a professional scientific environment, and — of course — to increase appreciation of the chemical senses — all while earning a weekly salary.” Alumni have experienced researching cloning olfactory receptors, investigating flavor preferences of infants, and studying air quality, among other things. The apprenticeship program is located at the Monell Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and lasts seven weeks. The internship provides students with an hourly wage, however, interns are responsible for their own room and board.
IBP’s “Pathway To Science” database includes “fully funded STEM programs, funding information, career information, and other STEM resources for K-12 students and their parents and teachers.” For information regarding other programs, visit their website.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter.
