Dr. Bernard Harris Jr. encourages youth to pursue high-tech careers through camp program at Bowie State University
Fifty area middle-school students are using the summer break to sharpen their math and science skills through the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at Bowie State University (BSU).The two-week, all-expenses-paid program, founded by former astronaut Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. - the first African American to walk in space, is one of 20 camps being held on university campuses nationwide. The experience immerses campers in hands-on, team-based learning activities designed to reveal the science behind the latest technology, increase environmental awareness and explore how math impacts daily life.
On July 12, BSU will showcase its innovative camp curriculum with a unique “Space Day” competition (pictured above), which challenges campers to create the most durable spacesuit swatch using household items. Harris, university faculty and camp counselors will lend their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) expertise to students for the challenge.
Research from The Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University indicates a majority of young people experience summer learning loss, with low-income youth more significantly impacted than any other socioeconomic group.
ExxonMobil Foundation and Harris have partnered for eight consecutive years to bring math and science camps to underserved students across the country in an effort to close the learning gap and encourage youth to pursue STEM careers. The program has helped more than 7,000 students hone their STEM skills.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, July 9th 2013 at 4:19PM
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