It’s time again for Summer STEAM at the College of Charleston, and we couldn’t be more ready to kick off our best summer yet!
During each week of the Institute, which has been proven to prevent learning loss over the summer months, students explore a different theme such as engineering, chemistry, astronomy, computer science, marine biology, and entrepreneurship, all while experiencing the atmosphere of higher learning at the College of Charleston. The schedule for this year’s Summer STEAM Institute features a downright fascinating collection of themes, including a primer on studio film production, a project exploring physics through the lens of super heroes, a timely introduction to the wonders of astronomy during the lead up to the coming solar eclipse, and a multifaceted exploration of the basics of computer animation. The official schedule is as follows:
Week 1 (June 19-23) – Roll ‘Em! An Introduction to Studio Film Production
Week 2 (June 26-30) – Super Heroes vs. Sir Isaac: The Physics of Super Powers
Week 3 (July 3-7) – Secret Code: A Primer on Coding and Computer Science
Week 4 (July 10-14) – Total Eclipse of the Art: Exploring the Sun and Solar System
Week 5 (July 17-21) – We’re #1! A Journey Into Charleston History, Art, and Culture
Week 6 (July 24-28) – DAT’s Right: The Basics of Digital Animation and Technology
Last year, the Engaging Creative Minds 2016 Summer STEAM Institute served over 1,000 students with camps at the College of Charleston and the Citadel. With help from the amazing SC Arts Commission, ECM also pioneered a program in Clarendon County School District One, which brought noticeable improvements to the school atmosphere and the performance of Clarendon students. To encourage a truly diverse learning environment and to improve access to equal development opportunites, 50% of Summer STEAM students (including all students from Clarendon) receive full scholarships, a percentage that has risen dramatically since the program’s inception.
Since research has found that the achievement levels of Title I students tend to decrease over summer vacation, ECM’s external evaluator Dr. Janet Rose compared Fall 2016 MAP scores to scores from the previous Spring to determine whether Summer STEAM helps students maintain their end-of-school achievement levels in reading and math. The data presented strongly suggested that Summer STEAM was successful in preventing summer learning loss by maintaining students’ reading achievement levels from Spring to Fall, while math achievement levels were improved. Last year’s program was also featured by multiple news outlets, including WBCD Channel 2 (http://counton2.com/2016/07/19/sc-students-visit-steam-institute-at-college-of-charleston/), and the Sumter Item (http://www.theitem.com/stories/steam-institute-a-success,272742).
The regional and national nonprofit communities have also recognized the effectiveness of the program in some big ways lately, as ECM recently earned a place as a finalist for Furman University’s 2016 Dick and Tunky Riley ‘WhatWorksSC’ Award for Excellence, a result due largely to the success of Summer STEAM. Additionally, Summer STEAM was named a winner of the prestigious National Summer Learning Association’s New York Life Foundation Excellence Awards for 2016.
Pricing for the 2017 Summer STEAM Institute:
1-2 Weeks: $215/wk.
Sibling 1-2 Weeks: $161.25/wk.
3-6 Weeks: $185/wk.
Sibling 3-6 Weeks: $138.75/wk.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us, either by phone, email, or through social media, to request any further details or clarification about Summer STEAM. We’re ready to do whatever it takes to help make your child another successful alumnus of this regional and national award-winning summer learning opportunity! Register here today: https://engagingcreativeminds.org/product/cofc-child/
