Reaching Out

传统上，夏季被认为是放松和充电的时间, for SECS Outreach directors and counselors, they are the busiest ones of the year. 每年6月至8月期间，数百名K-12学生参加sec赞助的STEM夏令营，探索他们对科学的兴趣, technology, engineering and/or mathematics. Summer 2023 is no exception, 每天在工程中心举办多个针对不同年龄段的STEM训练营.

Robotics camp participants are engaged in testing.

Minecraft Basic is among the most popular summer camps. 夏令营是为熟悉游戏的学生设计的, who spend each day playing Minecraft, but with an educational component to each challenge.

“This camp is not just about building; we learn about digital safety, the internet, and artificial intelligence,” says Allia Kobus, sixth grade student from Hart Middle School in Rochester. Abigail Zanolli, 庞蒂亚克圣母中学的七年级学生, credits the camps with boosting her creativity. “我一直很喜欢玩《十大菠菜软件》，但我真的不知道如何建造. 我妈妈发现这个夏令营是为了帮助我更好地理解建筑过程. But more than just building, 这个夏令营帮助我变得更有创造力，因为现在我可以用我的创造性技能来建造我真正想要的东西,” she says.

In addition to day camps, during July 2023, 工程与计算机科学学院在底特律工程学会(ESD)的协助下举办了一个工程学院(GEA)女生住宿营。. 这个为期四周的住宿夏令营是十大菠菜台子和ESD (GEA的创造者)之间持续合作的结果，旨在通过让女孩参与进来，减少工程专业的性别和少数民族差距, particularly girls of color, 希望他们最终能从事工程职业.

For the last four years, every other Saturday, October through May, 开放大学一直在为GEA项目的参与者提供三小时的课程. Sessions included math and science enrichment, engineering and computer science concepts, Language Arts comprehension, project-based STEM activities, mentoring, and engineering career exploration.

年仅5岁的儿童就有机会体验SECS营地.

GEA鼓励初中和高中女生通过STEM探索来拥抱她们对工程的兴趣. 从这些女孩上六年级开始，我们就在周六辅导她们,” says Bianca Bryant, SECS Outreach assistant director. “Now as they are transitioning to tenth grade, 我们非常高兴地欢迎他们来学校待四周.”

夏季住宿营让女孩们参加为期四周的活动.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. 这是一次身临其境的大学体验，让他们有机会体验公开大学校园所提供的东西——从在住宿食堂吃饭，在演讲厅和大学实验室学习，到参加公开大学娱乐中心和参加小组活动.

Dakota R.他是夏令营的参与者之一，对生物工程方面的教育很感兴趣. “I am interested in designing prosthetics, 这个项目让我培养了批判性思维能力，加深了我对工程领域的理解,” she shares.

Her fellow camper, Kelsey H., also interested in the medical side of engineering, agrees, “我现在对工程师的工作有了很好的理解. So far, Oakland University has been a great experience. 我们喜欢这里的校园和我们提供的活动.”

SECS Dean Louay Chamra, who is serving on the ESD Board of Directors, emphasizes the importance of this partnership. “我们支持GEA作为一个独特的项目，不仅关注工程，而且关注整个孩子. 它使传统上在STEM领域被边缘化的参与者能够过上最好的生活. SECS为所有GPA达到3分的毕业生提供奖学金.0 and above, 谁有资格获得佩尔助学金并选择开放大学继续他们的工程教育,” he says.

GEA的夏令营活动从周一持续到周五，为期四周, providing them with a college immersive experience.

In August, 一个全新的、售罄的增强现实夏令营给十大菠菜台子带来了另一批中学生, 渴望创建虚拟现实(VR)和增强现实(AR)环境. Participants gained an understanding of VR vs. 并了解了他们编程的不同之处, 通过建立教育环境来展示概念.

Aishani Das, 一个来自罗切斯特山的八年级学生，一个有抱负的游戏设计师, 我发现这个夏令营对学习如何在VR中制作游戏很有帮助. “I would like to make my own game app, 在VR中设计让我更好地理解了这个过程,” she says. “此外，我真的很想有机会在OU的增强现实中心测试我的设计.”

考虑到早期STEM教育的重要性, 年仅5岁的儿童就有机会体验SECS营地. Throughout the summer, 学校为幼儿园到二年级的学生提供了多个课程, 事实证明，哪些产品不仅成功，而且需求量很大. 明年将有更多令人兴奋的机会让年轻和年长的营员体验OU STEM活动.