By Andrea Vasquez
From adventures in aerospace and exploring the energy industry to building your own robot, San Jacinto College’s Continuing and Professional Development (CPD) division has something to foster
that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) creativity
for young, aspiring innovators.
Aerospace Academy
The San Jacinto College Aerospace Academy introduces young students to STEM careers in the aerospace industry. Funded by a grant from the Texas Workforce Commission and collaborating with NASA, the Aerospace Academy offers activities like the Aeroventures Camp where students were introduced to rocketry, including concepts of thrust, propulsion, cargo distribution calculations, and basic laws of motion. Students also had the chance to learn how to properly fly drones, which represented satellite technology.
This summer, the Aerospace Academy will host the new MARSS Quest (Mission to Advance Research on Space Settlements) STEM camps. These four one-week camps in June and July will introduce students to the emerging science and technology being developed by NASA and the aerospace industry on their lunar and deep space venture to Mars. Students will learn the challenges NASA faces in designing and building a space habitat for long-term use. Student will actually design and build life support system operations (air/water quality), food production, radiation control, waste recycling, human health, navigation, and communications systems adapted for use on another planet. The camps will also feature visits from aerospace industry experts and tours of university aerospace and makerspace labs.
EnergyVenture
One of the most popular and longest-running San Jacinto College STEM camps is EnergyVenture. Supported by Shell Oil Company for more than 10 years, EnergyVenture has hosted more than 1,500 students within that time. The weeklong day camps give middle school students a glimpse into careers within the energy industry, including engineering, geology, and process technology. Students perform lab experiments, win prizes, tour energy-related production facilities, and hear from professionals currently working in the field. The summer 2019 EnergyVenture camps will take place at San Jacinto College in June and July.
Robot Ruckus
A robotastic summer awaits at the Robot Ruckus Camp in June at San Jacinto College. Suited for students entering grades 4 – 6 campers will enjoy all aspects of robotics by participating in playshops and robot arenas during four fun-filled days. Creativity and inspiration will be leveled up using Ozobots, Spheros, and LEGO robots. Campers will also experience coding, sensor use, and will leave the camp with their very own robot creation.
STEM Survivor
For middle school students who thrive on competition, the STEM Survivor camp is the place to be! Using a team/tribe structure, students compete in activities that help them understand buoyancy/chemical reactions, energy, robotics, and structures. Activities include: buoyancy experiments with submarines and aluminum boats; making lemonade and ice cream snacks to understand chemical reactions; creating solar ovens for cooking s’mores; constructing windmills and wind bag structures for energy; sphero robot bowling; coding ozobots for racing; LEGO Mindstorm sumobots for robotics; Rube Goldberg machine challenges; potato circuits; and augmented and virtual reality activities. STEM Survivor takes place at San Jacinto College in
July 2019.
For more information on San Jacinto College CPD 2019 STEM summer camps, including registration fees and camp dates, visit sanjac.edu/summer-camps.
