COVID did not prove a deterrent to FST graduates Leneka Rhoden, Norreka Morally and Norrisha Morally in their quest to increase the excitement of primary, prep and high school students around STEM. Utilizing their ingenuity, creativity and tech skills they successfully staged the Summer of STEM Virtual Camp aimed at building STEM awareness and utilizing STEM principles as a means of developing critical thinking abilities. The camp catered to two age cohorts: 9-12 who formed the Wetland group and 13-17 who formed the Tropical Forest group. Additionally, the camp had three main areas of focus: EcoDiscovery, where students virtually explored land and aquatic ecosystems; MathDoc where students were creatively engaged in the world of Mathematics and Engineering; and TechWiz where students were introduced to robotics, coding, and animation. The camp concluded with a 1-week STEM Career Symposium in which campers interacted with STEM professionals including a Medical Doctor, Web Developer, Veterinarian, Engineer, Entomologist, and Botanist. The highlight of the camp, however, was the presentation from each camper on their prospective STEM career in the future. It was clear that the students had gained confidence, built key communication skills and learned how to design and deliver great PowerPoint presentations!
In the words of founder and Camp Director, Ms Leneka Rhoden (graduate student in Life Sciences), “Science and Technology plays such a vital role in development and I wanted to help students prepare for a career in the field of STEM. I wanted to heighten the awareness and sensitivity to the environment and its challenges, increase the understanding of ecosystems and climate change, and contribute to the building of a solid foundation in STEM.”
The camp had participants from Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and the USA. The 2021 edition is already being planned and promises to give aspiring campers a “STEMerific” time!
For more information: Email: biolifeja@gmail.com or visit their website www.e-biome.com
Published on 29 Oct, 2020
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