HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (June 17, 2019) – A Discover STEM camp next week will be illuminating girl power in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers for elementary age girls, thanks to an $11,350 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation’s Powerful Communities program.
Designed by the Henderson County Education Foundation(HCEF) and the district’s Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) department to empower rising 4th and 5th grade girls and introduce them to STEM career options and pathways, the camp will be led entirely by women and feature instructors from Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS), the Zaniac Learning Center in Asheville, and Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC).
The Powerful Communities grant awarded to HCEF allows two students nominated from each of HCPS’ 13 elementary schools to attend the one-week camp for free, and covers the costs of instruction, materials, meals, and transportation.
Zaniac instructors from the local STEM enrichment center will kick off each morning of camp at Bruce Drysdale Elementary, teaching students 21st century skills, focused on custom coding using Scratch programming. The district’s AIG specialists will lead the girls in team-building exercises, as well as discussions and activities themed around goal-setting, resilience, divergent thinking, confidence, and more.
Afternoon sessions will include field trips and exploration of STEM career paths. At BRCC, Chair of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing Programs Sharon Suess will take students on a tour of the Mechatronics Engineering Technology classrooms, where they will experience coding skills in action. Students will also explore the Henderson County Early College and learn about its associate degree program through BRCC.
Throughout the week, students will build career “dream boards” and learn about the college research process as well as the middle and high school courses and extracurriculars that will help put them on the paths toward their STEM career goals.
About Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy’s customers live and work. Its Powerful Communities program makes strategic investments to build powerful communities where natural resources thrive, so students can excel and a talented workforce drives economic prosperity for all. The Foundation annually funds more than $30 million to communities throughout Duke Energy’s seven-state service area.
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