Chris Shearer
Contributing Writer
BERLIN – Kids who want to learn how to make the next great video game or app this summer don’t have to travel far from home as the Reach for the Stars STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) camp is returning to the Red Doors Community Center in Ocean City in July.
Reach for the Stars is a computer science and aerospace engineering summer camp taught by a team of highly skilled educators and coastal engineering professionals. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities, and math and science related field trips.
“The technology sector is the fastest growing area of the economy and STEM careers are high paying, in demand jobs,” said Fawn Mete, director of the Red Doors Community Center. “The purpose of our program is to expose Worcester County students to many STEM careers that exist right here in our county.”
The summer camp is open to Worcester residents currently enrolled in grades 6-8 and there is no cost to participate. Daily transportation will also be provided from central pickup points in Pocomoke, Snow Hill and Berlin. The eight-day camp will take place July 18-21 and July 25-28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Space will be limited to 20 students.
New this year is the Worcester STEM Leadership Program for students currently in grades 9-11. It was added to the program to act as a stepping stone between the camp and the internship program. Students will participate in professional development sessions on Thursdays from June 30-July 28 to hone their leadership skills. They will work with Hardwire LLC, the Pocomoke-based engineering company that produces armor systems.
“Hardwire LLC has been an essential partner to our programs from day one,” said Mete. “They hosted campers for an interactive facility tour during our first year. Since then, our partnership has grown to include internship opportunities and a brand new engineering challenge for our ‘Future Leaders’ cohort this summer.”
George Tunis, chairman and CEO of Hardwire LLC, is also well aware of the importance of developing the interest in STEM while kids are young.
“One of my favorite memories as a kid was seeing my uncle weld metal for the first time on his farm,” said Tunis. “It’s very important for kids to use their five senses with science. To be able to see it, and smell it, and touch it and experience engineering up close is a huge value to all of us as we prepare these kids for the future.”
Last summer, the STEM program took a day trip to Hardwire LLC’s Pocomoke City headquarters. They did ballistic testing, learned about 3D Computer-Aided Design, and got to experience the technology and engineering prowess that Hardwire LLC instills each day to literally stop bullets with their state-of-the-art bulletproof whiteboards and armored military vehicles.
“We get more excited and do more preparation here at Hardwire for the kids to come to visit us during the camp than we do for when we are visited by four-star generals, and I mean that honestly,” said Tunis. “We absolutely love having those kids here. We were all young once and to see that curiosity and passion in this kids at such a young age is inspiring.”
The STEP UP Summer Internship Program provides high school and college students with a hands-on work experience in burgeoning STEM fields. Interns will find themselves in local medical settings, IT companies, engineering firms, environmental science agencies, and digital media production companies. Students will also have the opportunity to take part in professional development sessions while on the job, thus introducing them to the inner workings of these companies. Interns will be paid $11/hour for 100 hours of participation in the program between June 1 and July 28. To be eligible for the leadership program, students must currently be in grades 11-12 or Worcester County residents attending a university and majoring in a STEM field.
Worcester County Economic Development is accepting applications from Worcester County students ages 12-22 for the summer programs, online applications will be available beginning March 1 and are due no later than March 31. Along with completed applications, students applying to any of the three programs must provide transcripts and contact information for recommendations from teachers, community members or former employers. Students will be selected by application and interview and will earn a $250 stipend for participation.
Tunis said programs like this are vital for the region’s future.
“Tourism creates tax revenue, but the jobs it creates are mostly seasonal,” said Tunis. “Our region needs to help fill the manufacturing jobs of the future and this camp definitely is a big step in the right direction. We are very happy to be a part of it.”