“I feel very blessed to have this opportunity and to be able to bring four students with me,” said Ann Steimer, a teacher at the Tree of Life Preparatory School in Fredericksburg. In all, 96 students – from middle schools located in Virginia’s Stafford, Spotsylvania, and King George Counties in addition to Fredericksburg and Dahlgren – developed their teamwork and problem-solving skills in math and science, as they partnered with a teacher and an NSWCDD scientist or engineer. “The STEM Summer Academy is continuing to do just that.” “It’s important to inspire additional students to pursue a STEM degree and career which will ultimately benefit the Navy by ensuring there are enough scientists and engineers in the workforce to allow it to fulfill its mission,” said Indseth. ![]() The high school students worked with teachers and senior mentors to advise the campers, and gave parents tours of the camp and its various activities. Madeline was among nine junior mentors helping to run the camp while working on their own STEM projects. “Whooaa! Maybe if I keep at it, I might actually be working with him one day.” “He works with his mentor now,” said Madeline in reference to Campbell’s NSWCDD job working with his former STEM summer camp mentor. As a college student, he worked on electromagnetic railgun technology via the Navy Pathways Internship Program – established to provide degree-seeking students with exposure to public service while enhancing their educational experience, and possibly providing financial aid to support their educational goals. “Listening to David Campbell, a former STEM camper and King George High School graduate, describe the inspiration and opportunities he received that shaped his decision to obtain a physics degree and become a launcher engineer for the electromagnetic railgun program, reaffirmed the importance of the STEM Summer Academy.”Ĭampbell was accepted into the SEAP internship program at NSWCDD as a high school student. “Visiting the STEM Summer Academy yesterday was a full circle moment for me,” said Tammy Indseth, a King George County School Board member and NSWCDD scientist. Parents and their children as well as teachers and local officials listened intently as the railgun engineer shared his personal experience and knowledge about programs that lead to STEM careers. There’s a lot of opportunity out there.”Ĭampbell recommended opportunities available for high school students via the Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) and for the college students – the Navy Pathways Internship Program. You’re surrounded by activities where you can be creative and you can keep getting involved. You’re surrounded by people who do STEM careers. ![]() “You start at this camp and it gives you an interest and idea of what a STEM career could be like. “It’s like a progression,” Campbell told the middle school campers’ parents during a briefing at the annual event held at King George Middle School from June 27 to July 1. Although the junior mentor program was not available when he was a high school freshman, the engineer took advantage of high school and college internship programs through NSWCDD. Like his protégé, David Campbell – an NSWCDD electromagnetic railgun engineer for the past three years – became enthusiastic about STEM as a middle school student at the annual summer camp. Madeline – now a rising Spotsylvania High School freshman – got in.Īs a junior mentor at the 2016 Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD)-sponsored STEM Summer Academy, she paused and spoke about her potential to become a Navy scientist or engineer one day, pointing out that her NSWCDD engineer mentor started out as a “camper”. “Then I found out about the Junior Mentor Program, and was like – yeah, that would be really fun. While engaged in a week of STEM camp activities – Madeline was “getting into this” so much, she enrolled in advanced placement classes that included engineering. The rising Spotsylvania eighth grader soon realized it was the best decision she ever made. ![]() – Madeline didn’t know if she liked STEM last year but decided, “eehh, I’ll give it a shot,” and enrolled in a Navy science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) Summer Academy.
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