Wallace State Community College recently hosted a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) Camp for area elementary school students at the School of Nursing and Center for Science.
Faculty and staff led more than 55 students through lessons and held activities demonstrating concepts such as kinetic energy, mathematical probability, chemical reactions and plant propagation.
North Central Alabama STEM Ecosystem Coordinator Aubry Lovell said STEAM Camp is a great opportunity for students to have fun over the summer, while also learning valuable scientific principles and skills.
“This week’s STEAM Camp has been a great opportunity for students to engage in hands-on learning experiences across the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Students were able to cultivate critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. The camp not only enhances academic knowledge but also helps students grow their innovation and exploration skills, which are essential for their future success,” said Lovell.
Computer Science Instructor Jeremy Wilt said the STEAM title is all-encompassing, making note of the inclusion of art to the standard STEM designation.
“We are in the age of technology, so art is a part of science, just as it is a part of creativity. It is just like how an engineer is an artist, because they are designing and seeing a project through to the end,” said Wilt. “When you think about the scientific method or computational thinking, there are steps that are involved to create things through a design process. You take science and then you add engineering, which allows for some of the design behind the scenes. You mix that with art, which makes it look pretty. Math is everywhere, so it doesn’t matter what job you’ve got, you are going to have math involved. Finally, technology acts as a tool to tie it all together.”
Biology Instructor Cassidy Wright said events like STEAM Camp play an important role in getting kids interested in education from an early age.
“By introducing children to STEAM disciplines at an early age, we hope to build a strong foundation that will support their future academic and career endeavors,” said Wright.
For more information about STEAM Camp and the North Central Alabama STEM Ecosystem, email Aubry Lovell at aubry.lovell@wallacestate.edu.