Students build a structure out of newspapers during the STEM camp at Fisher Elementary School on June 15.
Supplied with curriculum from the College of Engineering at Iowa State University, one week STEM camps are being held in elementary schools throughout the Marshalltown Community School District this summer.
Caleb Carver, Marshall County youth coordinator at Iowa State University Extension, said these camps help continue the learning in the summer with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math.
“We are showing them hands-on learning opportunities,” Carver said.
Camps are being held this week (June 13-17) at Rogers and Fisher elementary schools. Other schools to hold camps later in the summer include Franklin (June 20-24), Anson (July 11-15), Hoglan (July 11-15) and Woodbury (July 18-22). The future camps have spaces open for both morning and afternoon sessions except Woodbury.
These free camps for area kindergarten through fourth grade students are a partnership between ISU Extension, the Marshalltown Community School District, the Marshalltown Regional Partnership, Mid-Iowa Community Action, the Marshalltown Business Education Alliance and St. Francis School.
“We are absolutely very excited about the way the camps are turning out,” said David Barajas, CEO of the Marshalltown Regional Partnership.
Emerson/Fisher is also providing staff at the camps to teach students about real world careers in engineering.
When all is said and done, camp organizers expect to host more than 500 students this summer.
For more information, call the Iowa State University Extension Marshall County office at 641-752-1551 or visit the schools during the camp sessions, which are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. during the days listed above. Rogers camp has afternoon sessions only this week.
