'A head start on science'
Lane College held a ceremony marking the end of its summer STEM camp Friday at the Cyber Café on the Lane campus.
Students had the opportunity to sit in classes and learn about STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — from college professors and hear from people working in STEM fields who came to the camp to talk about their work.
“We just want to give them an opportunity to see the variety of STEM jobs that are available,” said Jerry Woods, interim executive vice president of Lane College. “We brought in architects, engineers, chemical engineers and we brought in the director of technology for the (Jackson-) Madison County School System to let the students see the possibilities of various jobs in STEM.”
The students also had the opportunity to travel to Chattanooga Wednesday and Thursday to learn about earth science and marine sciences.
“We went to Ruby Falls on Wednesday, and that highlighted the situation on earth formations and biological science, giving the students some hands-on experience, as well as students could see people in STEM careers that worked there,” Woods said. “We were also able to go to the aquarium in Chattanooga. They saw the sea life but also they saw jobs like marine biologists. It was fascinating.”
Forty students participated in the camp, and most of them were from Madison County.
Chelsea Currie, a Lane graduate from Haywood County, drove her son to the Lane campus every day so he could participate in the camp.
“I loved it, he loved it and it was great exposure for future plans, whatever he desires in life,” Currie said.
Currie’s son will be a freshman at Haywood High School in the fall.
Mary Ingram is the grandmother of another incoming freshman, who will be going to Madison Academic Magnet High School.
“It was fantastic,” Ingram said. “It allowed them to get some learning that has to do with something they could carry with them when school starts.”
Ingram, also a Lane graduate, is active in the Lane community and was excited that the camp came together.
“It’s a head start on science and a lot of other things, to keep children learning through the summer.”