The Bellefonte Area School District hosted multiple summer academic camps during the month of June, and all were free to BASD students! Students had the opportunity to join STEAM Camp, which covered activities related to science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The camp was four days long and students participated in many engaging activities with peers from throughout the district. BASD staff and secondary level students all volunteered their time to help make this camp a success!
STEAM Camp was offered during the third week of June at the Bellefonte Area Middle School. Over BASD 200 students attended the camp, which included multiple themes. The themes for this year’s camp were Veterinary Science (K-1), Spies (grades 2-3), Magic (grades 4-5), Stop Motion Animation (grade 6), and the Engineering Process (grade 7). Elementary topics and activities included pets, scent dogs, fingerprinting, code breaking, chemical reactions, invisible ink, lava lamps, and glow slime. Middle school students explored stop motion animation, bridges, and electric vehicles.
Drew Eddinger, biology and chemistry teacher at the Bellefonte Area High School, volunteered her time at the camp this summer. She really enjoyed her time working with the students and getting a chance to share her passion for science related topics with them. Drew stated, “This was our first time including a Middle School option for Camp, and I really loved getting to take on bigger projects with the kids and offer them some autonomy in their experience.” Her first grade son, Reed, also attended camp, and his favorite part of the week was, “... on Farm Day we got to pretend to milk cows!” An activity that he had never done before and hopes to do again in the future.
Christopher Cipro, Dean of Students at Bellefonte Elementary, had his daughter, Harper, attend STEAM Camp. “Every day Harper came home with a new craft that she made during Veterinary Science camp. She loved learning about the different types of animals. Her favorite day was the dog training day. She wanted to put her knowledge into practice on our own Dalmatian,” Christopher told us with a laugh.
Brianne McDaniel is an instructional coach at the high school. She works with all content areas and had once been an elementary teacher. Her knowledge and background give her a unique ability to oversee and run an academic camp such as this. As camp director, Brianne, was thrilled with how successful that camp had been. "Our K-5 STEAM Camp was a wonderful success! Students had fun exploring, creating, and solving problems while building confidence and new skills. It was exciting to see their curiosity and love of learning grow each day. We are grateful to our administration and staff whose support, planning, and dedication made this experience possible for our students."
Overall, the STEAM Camp was an ultimate experience for the students of the district. The staff and student volunteers are immensely important to the success of the camp. Both parents, students, and staff alike are looking forward to it again next summer!
Written by Carla Cipro.