Teamwork and Innovation Shine at Summer STEM Camp for Teens

The Continuing Education Department and the IT Workforce Accelerator Program recently hosted a STEM Camp at Bradley University for High School Students entering 10th to 12th grades. Funded by the IT Workforce Accelerator grant, the camp was open to central Illinois students at no cost and lunch and snacks were provided.

Throughout the week, students participated in hands-on lessons and learned about geology, robotics, computer coding, medical engineering and more. The students worked together in small groups to power a model city or create a water filtration system. “Over the course of the week we saw a lot of camaraderie and interest in these new topics,” explained Carolyn Cracraft, one of the event organizers.

Kristy Willis, assistant professor in residence in the Engineering Department, taught Essential Workplace Skills, which focused on leadership and soft skills. “The students worked on a personality type indicator test that helped them identify their personality traits as well as those of their teammates,” she explained. They were then given a survival test and had to come up with a team plan.

The students were stranded on a boat in the middle of the ocean and had to rank a list of items most important to least important. The list included items like water, food, floating seat cushion and shark repellent, among others.

“Each student ranked their items individually and then as a team, so the power of persuasion was a must. They learned how to deal with people differently. Some might be easily persuaded while others might take more convincing,” Willis said.

Around 50 students participated in the camp. “At the beginning of the week, students were pretty shy, with kids eating on their own. By the end of the week, kids were pushing tables together to eat as a group and exchanging social media information to keep in touch after camp,” explained Christina Webb, who helped manage the camp. “Students really had to work together during the classes to come up with strategies. It was fun to watch.”

“The camp was an amazing opportunity for students to get a wide range of STEM type fields in a short amount of time. I think it opened their eyes to future career options,” Willis explained.

—Emily Potts