Second annual STEM Camp hosts over 650 students on Trine University’s campus

More than 650 students from five public charter schools across Indiana traveled to Trine University for the second annual spring STEM Camps.

Timothy L. Johnson Elementary and Timothy L. Johnson Middle School, The Nature School of Central Indiana, Success Academy at Boys and Girls Club, and Career Academy Middle School from Career Academy Network of Public Schools had a full day of enriching activities on Trine’s Angola campus.

The camps took place during the weeks of May 12 and May 19, with each school having its own day.

“We absolutely love partnering with Education One to bring their charter schools to campus and engage them in fun, educational STEM activities, as well as give them a glimpse into what it’s like to be on a college campus,” said Holly Herndon, assistant director of youth camps and engagement.

Charter school students worked with Trine students and staff through STEM rotations, creating paper airplanes, constructing marble mazes, building catapults and designing bridges. Along with enriching activities focused on engineering and design principles, each group had a chance to participate in recreational activities and eat at Whitney Commons.  

Caitlin Hicks, Education One’s assistant director of graduation pathways and compliance, highlighted the opportunities provided by the camps: “This partnership is phenomenal because K-8 students have the chance to interact with college students.”

Hicks went on to explain how the Trine students, having different majors and backgrounds and coming from a variety of places across the state, allow the K-8 students to be able to imagine what college could be like for them.

Herndon added, “The students have an awesome time interacting with our college student counselors and always have lots of questions about their experiences at Trine. I love seeing the children's faces light up with excitement.”

Education One’s collaboration with the University’s Youth Camps and Engagement is part of Trine University’s larger pre-college outreach and engagement initiative, thanks to a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant.

When awarded the grant, Gretchen Miller, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Trine, emphasized its significance for students, “We trust that these experiences will help foster the excitement and encourage the realization that they can succeed as college students.”

In addition, Brie Childs, the school leader of Success Academy at Boys and Girls Club, spoke to how much her students loved their experiences at Trine.  She shared how students raved about the opportunity to experience campus life and enjoyed the competitive STEM activities.

“At the end of every camp, at least one child always tells us how they want to come to Trine one day,” said Herndon.  “We are blessed with our funding from our Lilly Endowment grant, which allows youth to explore campus at no cost to them. This grant allows us to provide the best and most engaging visit possible. We love our partnership with Education One and can’t wait to bring more students to campus in the future.”

To learn more about Education One at Trine University and its portfolio of public charter schools, visit: https://www.trine.edu/education-one/