This week, more than 120 Wayne County Public Schools (WCPS) students, 70% of which are military connected, converged on the Meadow Lane Elementary campus for a five-day STEM focused summer camp. The district’s second annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for Kids of Active Military Personnel (STEMKAMP)” offers participating students in grades 3-8 fun, hands-on immersive activities designed to help them explore a wide range of STEM careers.

“This week’s STEMKAMP has been an incredible experience for both students and teachers,” states Christy White, WCPS Title IV Enrichment Facilitator “Together, they have explored the topography, soil, and winds of a ‘new planet’ in order to plan for how they would live there.”

On Friday, June 17, the STEMKAMP will conclude with a special Family Day from 9 AM until 12:30 PM, which will allow families and invited guests to see firsthand all that the students accomplished over the course of the week-long camp. Special guests expected to attend a 9 AM breakfast include Assistant Secretary Ariel Aponte of the NC Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs, City of Goldsboro Mayor David Ham, North Carolina Representative Raymond Smith, and Maj. “Blitz” Mitchell from the 334th Fighter Squadron.

STEMKAMP Background

The STEMKAMP is a federally funded grant funded program impacting 10 military connected school districts nationwide. Goshen Education Consulting, a prominent STEM educational evaluation and research center, and iBIO, a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators and helping restore America’s leadership in technology education, selected Wayne County Public Schools based on its connection with families employed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. Goshen Education Consulting was awarded the three-year $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Dept. of Defense for Innovative Experiential Program in September 2020 to support the STEMKAMP program.