Summer Camps for Recruiting in STEM

David KeathlyPrincipal

Lecturer/Robocamp Director

UNT Computer Science and Engineering

Elizabeth HalwegIT Instructor

Fox Valley Technical College

Reaching Future Students with STEM Summer Camps

• Learn the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How of planning and conducting successful STEM Summer Camps.

• This session will use existing programs to provide a framework and resources for you to design your own STEM Summer Camps and Workshops.

• Discuss materials, costs, equipment, recruiting and other aspects of camp planning and production.

Why do you want to host a summer camp?

• To educate• To recruit students• To retain students• To create awareness of our programs• To create a positive image in our community• To benefit the school hosting the event• To advance the state of the art in STEM

education• To have fun!

Planning Your Camp• Demographics

– Age – what will be the age/grade limitations?– Gender – consider a girls-only option for middle and high-school students– Race – grant funding may be available for targeted populations

• Theme For Your Camp– Science sampler– Week-long project (design & build a robot, make a model race car, etc.)– Theme-based activities (computer science, biology, aerospace, etc.)

• Resources– Lego Education– National Girls Collaborative Project– PBS (SciGirls, Design Squad) – NASA– Hobby store science kits

Funding• Costs

– Printing/advertising– Staffing– Supplies– Hospitality/snacks– T-shirts/name tags

• Revenue/Resources– How much to charge participants

• Youth camps range in price from free/low cost to several hundred dollars per week

• Consider offering financial assistance to low-income families– Seek out partnerships

• In-kind donations of supplies• Volunteer instructors/staff

– Look for grant opportunities

Funding (continued)UNT•Technology Workforce Development Grant funded by the CB and the Texas Engineering and Technical Consortium (www.tetc.us)•Motorola Foundation

Innovation Generation grants•RGK Foundation•Texas Workforce Commission•Dallas Women’s Foundation•The CB•Camp Fees•College and Department Funds•Alumni•Texas (and US) Girls Collaborative•Camp Fees

FVTC•Plexus•Associated Bank•Women’s Fund of the Fox Cities•Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (Power of Manufacturing)•FVTC•Camp Fees

Recruiting• Finding staff/volunteers

– Network to find resources from local businesses– Ask instructors from your institution– Partner with other schools or community organizations

• Advertising your camp to prospective participants– Posters/flyers

• Distribute to local schools (both public & private)• Post around campus• Local businesses/buildings that have bulletin boards (churches,

chiropractic offices, grocery stores, YMCA, library, etc.)

– Email• Past participants• Area high school and middle school counselors• Contacts from local youth organizations: Girl/Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls

Clubs, homeschool networks, etc.

Recruiting (continued)– Websites (www.fvtc.edu/summercamps) – Publications

• Newspaper article, camp guides, • School course guide, after school groups• School magazine, websites, flyers

– Publicity Buzz• The more the better!• Radio stations, Web, Print and TV• Online community events calendars• Community events (booth at science fairs, summer activities fair,

etc.), teachers, • Boys and Girls clubs• Flyers dropped off at counselors offices• Outdoor signs on campus

– Word of mouth – this is often the most effective means of recruitment!

Recruiting (continued)– Tracking

• Where do they go• What do they do• What does your college want you to record

What does this have to do with Recruiting?

• Direct Recruiting– Albeit delayed!– Interested students are retained on mailing lists and

other follow-ups• Tracking

– Where do they go?– What do they do?

• Publicity/Buzz– The more the better!– Local and national– Web, Print and TV– Example…

• Publications

Tips for Event Planning• Selecting the dates:

– Check local school district calendar for dates of regular session and for summer school

– Research other community events/camps (what else might conflict?)

• Location/Setup:– Make room reservations as needed– Consider facility needs such as table space, A/V requirements, outlets, etc.– Is there sufficient parking? Will staff need parking permits?

• Food (if snacks are going to be provided): – Try to focus on healthier but kid-friendly options like muffins, string cheese, fresh fruit,

chips & salsa– Offer a variety of choices and be considerate of participants with food allergies or

limitations (Many children in middle/high school have braces and aren’t supposed to eat excessively hard, crunchy, or sticky foods. Also, many schools and daycares now have no peanut policies, since this is such a common allergen.)

What kind of resources do you need?

• Materials• Supplies• Computers• Student workers or faculty (volunteers)• Food and drink• Prizes• Advertising• Speakers and entertainment

Safety• Consider drop off/pick up procedures (require a grownup to

accompany students to/from the main meeting room each day). Call unexcused no-shows.

• Have emergency contact numbers/special needs/allergy information readily available should staff need it

• Provide safety equipment as needed (safety glasses, gloves, etc.)• Require that students wear appropriate clothing in lab/manufacturing

environments (close-toed shoes, long hair tied back, etc.)

• Make sure activities are age-appropriate

Things to think about• Liability insurance• Medical information and medicines• First aid kits• Youth Protection Training for Staff• Background checks• Drop off and Pick up• Contact information• Resident camp issues?• Backup staff and overlap• Speakers• Entertainment

Key Elements of a Good Camp (IMHO)

• A large, but manageable group• Staff with good people skills• A Theme • Good food• Variety of activities• Play Time• Projects and Presentations• Team Activities• Entertainment• Something for the Parents• Fun and Laughter!

Partners and SupportersUNT

•Girls Scouts of America•Apple Computer•Parallax Corporation•Lego•The Stewpot•ISDs•Collin College•El Centro College•UNT Dallas Campus•UNT PDI•CISCO

FVTC• Girls and Boys Club• Robotics Education &

Competition (REC)• Kimberly Clark• Plexus • McCain Foods• Associated Bank• Georgia Pacific

FVTC Case Studies

FVTC Case Studies

UNT Case Studies

What are these?• A one week engineering experience for young women (and now young men

too!) entering grades 7 thru 12• Actually a group of camp activities including

– Robocamp– Advanced Robocamp– XBOX Game Development Camp– AppCamp (new)– CSExperience (Programming)– Enginuity! (Engineering Design)– Grandparent’s University– SuperCamp (new)

• Completing its 9th year of operation in Summer 2013• Facilities are mobile, and curriculum is modular to facilitate mini-camps and

on-site camps at a variety of locations

Engineering Achievement: Star Robot Sent to the

Sun!

Other National Headlines

Robots Gone Wild!

Global Warming No Longer a Threat

The Age of A.T.O.M.

Atomic

Technology

Of

Machines

Group of Female Engineers Succeed in Creating World’s Fastest Computer Using Atomic Technology

Science in Motion!!

A Sticky Situation!New Suction Tires Overcome Ice and Water on Roads!

Home Values Rise in Antarctica

Page 60

Page 38

Asimo to Mars!Page 16

New Robots leave hairdressers without a job!!!

Team of female inventors make things easier for

everyday life…

Having fun

Anecdotal Comments• “It opened my mind to considering this as a

career” – Student • “Yes, I understand more, and I am even

taking a course in robotics, now. I’m actually passing.” – Student

• “Yes it affected what I wanted to major in. I wanted to first major in business, now I want to major in computers” – Student

• “Yes I have been much more interested in science since Robocamp” Student

• “I had already known I was interested in math and science, however, my experience at Robocamp further enforced my decision. It also made me think that engineering would be an ideal field to study” – Student

• “Most definitely. My high school requires us to take one credit of computer science and this camp helped me choose which course to take. I am also more aware of what people are talking about when they discuss robotics. Robocamp further strengthened my interest in math and science” – Student

• “Yes, her grades improved greatly in math and science” – Parent

• “… the program gave her additional confidence, particularly because it was an all-girls class. Besides being female, she is also quite naturally introverted, so activities like this do help a great deal. I think it has given her confidence and a sense of direction. …” – Parent

• “She now tries to think thru the problems rather than just solve them” – Parent

• “She, as of right now, is planning on going to college. No college has been chosen but she is interested in engineering because of last year’s camp!!” – Parent

• “Math was never an easy subject for her, but since last year’s camp, she has been determined to learn all the math she can. She is EAGER to start Algebra.” Parent

• “In the past, Sam always felt like math and science were for ‘smart kids’ and that it had to be boring. Camp changed some of these stereotypes for her. Now that she does not see these subjects as an opportunity to fail, she is better able to focus her efforts and succeed.” – Parent

• “Yes. This year she has A/B’s in math and science. We believe that she finally figured out that she CAN do it so as a result she listens and tries harder” -Parent

Want to learn more?

• We will post some resources on the CTC website and Wiki

• We have camp materials available to share!

• Contact us– David david.keathly@unt,edu– Elizabeth halweg@FVTC.edu

Questions?