The SARSEF Summer STEM Camp aims to engage children ages 4th-8th grade in the sciences, particularly those from groups who are historically underrepresented in STEM fields. The first week of SARSEF Summer STEM Camp was held at Pima Community College Northwest Campus. This week, campers designed projects intended to help solve problems in their communities related to public health, safety, and the environment. One student designed a 2-story house with an elevator. From this project, she reported learning “whenever something fails, you can always try again. Like, you always get stronger.”
One group of five aspiring scientists built a five foot tall marble tower, equipped with a conveyor belt, and capable of using the same marble in perpetuity. One engineer from this group stated that collaborating on this project taught her that “helping each other is important” to success. Other projects included a “do not touch” sign to protect people from thorny roses, a wind-powered “trash picker upper” with flames coming out of it, and multiple racecar designs which taught students the power of aerodynamics.
Parents were excited to have their kids attend a camp at Pima Community College Campus, where they could get exposure to the environment of higher education. They reported choosing the camp because they value their kids “being able to put things together and understand how things work”. They were also happy with how the camp allowed their kids to come out of their shells and gain social skills in a welcoming environment.