Yuma District One capped off its STEMKAMP program Friday with a special family day celebrating everything students learned throughout the week.
These lessons involved hands-on lessons focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) designed to encourage problem-solving, teamwork and critical thinking skills.
Since 2021, military-connected schools throughout the U.S. have held these summer day camps with funding from the Department of Defense. Today, STEMKAMP is part of the Defense STEM Education Consortium.
As a district serving military families, District One participated in STEMKAMP this year, offering students activities learning about things like molecules, biodegradability, engineering, recycling and much more.
The culmination of this camp was Family Day, held at Ron Watson Middle School.
"One of the greatest strengths of this experience is seeing our students share what they've learned with the people who support them every day," said Amanda Norton, STEMKAMP director. "Family Day highlights the curiosity, creativity and confidence our students develop through hands-on learning, while demonstrating the value of strong partnerships between our schools and the community."
Families got a firsthand look at their kids' accomplishments, and they participated in some of the learning, too.
Family Day offered some of the very same projects and collaborative learning activities students completed through the week. In addition to seeing student work, family members rotated through interactive stations and engineering challenges.
Per District One, the highlight of the day was the Pathways to Possibilities Expo, which connected families with STEM professionals from across Yuma County These involved local businesses, higher education institutions, military organizations and community partners, introducing students to some of the STEM careers they might want to pursue someday.
Participating organizations included the Arizona Science Teachers Association, Yuma Police Department, Gowan Company, Arizona Public Service, MCAS-Yuma School Liaison Program, TRAX at U.S. Army YPG, and Benesch, Shadle and White.
Now that STEMKAMP has concluded for the year, students will be gearing up to head back to school. At District One, the first day of classes is Aug. 3.
