August 02, 2024

110 Students Attend IALR Summer STEM Camps

A total of 110 students participated in at least one of eight summer STEM camps hosted at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) during June and July 2024. These engaging, hands-on camps sparked interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) primarily for students in grades 3-8.

“Our summer camps provide applied and experiential learning opportunities that help prevent learning loss over the summer and keep students engaged and inspired. This was a very successful summer of memorable STEM Camps, and we are already thinking about how we can serve even more students next summer.” – Dana Silicki, Director, STEM, Service and Lifelong Learning, IALR

Most of these camps were split into two parts, with students spending half their time on each topic each day.

Fifteen campers received IALR scholarships, and others participated through the Danville Church & Community Tutorial Program.

The summer STEM Camps were supported by six members of the Dan River Year AmeriCorps program, who oversee many of the lessons and activities with IALR staff. IALR summer interns also supported two camps.

Registration for next year’s summer STEM camps at IALR will open around April 2025.
AI Adventures – Intro to Machine Learning/CodeQuest

This camp provided young students with a memorable introduction to the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and coding. Students explored machine learning concepts and coding through interactive projects and challenges, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

STEM Studios/Young Authors Unite

In the STEM Studios camp, students mastered the art of video editing, stop motion and special effects, turning their creative visions into movie magic. In IALR’s Young Authors Unite camp, budding authors unleashed their imaginations, crafting captivating stories fueled by strong characters and vibrant worlds.

STEM in Space/Around the World

Young would-be astronauts in the STEM in Space camp explored the universe through an array of stimulating and engaging activities. They built rockets, simulated missions and learned about the solar system. As part of the Around the World camp, IALR’s globally minded explorers jetted across continents, learning about cultures and food and budgeting for their dream vacations.

STEM in the Movies

This camp for rising K-4 students linked STEM concepts and movies. Participants solved problems and investigated the science behind some of their favorite movies.

Escape Room/Challenge Accepted

In the Escape Room, teams collaborated to solve challenges and progress through different rooms. This hands-on camp allowed students to explore, learn and have fun while using their creativity and problem-solving skills.

Students faced new challenges to unleash their inner engineer during the Challenge Accepted camp. Campers thought outside the box and devised innovative solutions to hands-on tasks.

Beats and Jams: Digital Music Creators/STEM: From an Artist’s View

In Beats and Jams: Digital Music Creators, students learned to produce digital music, record sound, create sound effects and mix tracks. Their work was available on a password-protected website to share with friends and family. STEM: From an Artist’s View combined STEM with art, allowing students to use their creativity to make artistic projects inspired by STEM.

Racing Games with Unity/Discover Your Inner Scientist

Students used game-design software while learning about level editing, 3D modeling, impactful gameplay creation and more.

Students explored what scientists do and how to tap into their inner scientist with experiments that ranged from gross to fun.

GCAPS and GO TEC Summer Camp

A free camp for rising 9th and 10th graders, campers got to design and build their very own VEX IQ robots to put to the test in a series of competitions. The students were also able to tour IALR’s Applied Research division.

This camp was sponsored by the Global Center for Automotive Performance Simulation (GCAPS), GO Virginia, Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC®) and the Danville Regional Foundation.

The Advanced Learning Division at IALR is committed to expanding STEM capacity across Southern Virginia through a variety of experiential educational programs, dual-enrollment opportunities, tutoring programs and summer activities.