This summer, the Flagstaff-based nonprofit Friends of Camp Colton will host its second annual SEED (STEM Environmental Enrichment and Discovery) Summer Experience at Flagstaff Unified School District’s Camp Colton, thanks in part to funding from the APS Foundation. Forty-five students and four teachers will join scientific experts to develop teamwork and leadership skills while working together on scientific field investigations – and making lifelong memories. The program was designed to bring the STEM subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math to life, sparking curiosity through student-led research projects focused on hydrology, fire ecology, native organisms, and soil ecology.
Developed by Friends of Camp Colton, the Summer Experience is designed for small groups of students entering grades 7 and 8. The program capitalizes on experiences in nature to increase academic learning and positive personal growth. Through six days of STEM research projects, students develop STEM skills and learn about STEM careers from community experts including a soil ecologist, hydrologist, and native organisms expert from NAU and a fire ecologist from the U.S. Forest Service. It’s not all work; students also hike, play games, make ice cream, sing around the campfire, create art, practice mindfulness, and more.
Friends of Camp Colton Executive Director Ari Wilder says the Summer SEED Experience is near and dear to her heart as a former educator, explaining that the program was designed as a next step for sixth graders who participated in the four-day, three-night Camp Colton program during the previous school year.
“There’s something special about kids and adults outside in nature connecting, making friends, and learning,” says Wilder. “This program is unique in that it supports both students and teachers. Students participate in high-level STEM projects, making choices about what and how to research with assistance from educators and local scientists. At the same time, teachers are learning how to spark curiosity and interest with students through outdoor projects. None of this would be possible without community support like this grant from the APS Foundation.”
Each year, the APS Foundation, which has focused its support on STEM education since 2012, partners with organizations like Friends of Camp Colton to fund programs that inspire the next generation of leaders. The $6,000 APS Foundation grant will cover the cost of the four teachers to facilitate the Summer SEED Experience and incorporate aspects of outdoor STEM projects into their classrooms during the school year.
“This innovative camp experience is filling the academic gap many underserved students experience over the summer,” says Tina Marie Tentori, executive director of the APS Foundation. “From the positive response we received about last year’s program, it’s clear these campers are making connections that will inspire continued STEM learning – and potentially a future career in STEM.”
While the program was offered to only Flagstaff students last year, Wilder says there may be an opportunity to expand the program to include additional schools in Northern Arizona. Interested schools should contact Friends of Camp Colton for more information at [email protected].
