Summer Camp Helps High School Girls Discover STEM in College, Careers and Life

AIKEN, S.C. – Contractors at the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently sponsored an adventurous summer camp on the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) campus to help high school girls understand the value of a science, technology, engineering and math- (STEM) based education.

   “The mini-camp is called Girls Get SET, where SET stands for science, engineering and technology,” said Patti Bennett with Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS). “We also want to help them get set for college, careers and life.”  

   SRNS, the management and operations contractor at SRS, and one of its parent companies, Honeywell, sponsored the camp.

   The participants from South Carolina and Georgia engaged in hands-on activities related to STEM topics. In what’s called Engineers to the Rescue, campers applied engineering know-how, problem-solving skills and design savvy to find their way after a mock earthquake disrupted their camping trip. They rebuilt their shelter on shaky soil, filtered drinking water, sent a message for help and harnessed wind energy to obtain their next meal.

   Local sophomore Makayla Harris said she was pleased with how the camp connected with her desire to graduate college as an electrical engineer.

   “Probably the most important thing I’ve learned so far is that you have to be creative. You have to use your mind and come up with things on your own,” said Harris. “Trial and error will help you get the answers.”

   Harris added, “It’s also been inspiring to have all of these nice ladies, engineers and scientists to listen to and learn from. You don’t have to worry about people saying ‘Oh, you are a female, and you can’t be an engineer.’ It just makes me want to work harder and do more to reach my goals in life.”

   Campers learned about nuclear science through interactive games and activities in which they used a device for measuring radioactivity.

   The girls also learned about computer programming.

   “We believe it is important for them to have some basic knowledge related to information technology,” Bennett said. “In today's world, almost any career will involve the use of technology in some form. Even if they're not going to become computer programmers, being able to understand and communicate in the IT area is a valuable skill.”

   The three-day event also featured a dinner forum with scientists and engineers from SRS and nearby companies who talked one-on-one with the campers about career opportunities.

   “When I was in school, our counselors emphasized teaching, nursing and other careers typically associated with females,” said Bennett. "The primary goal of this camp is to inspire girls to consider careers in nontraditional fields and to give them a basic introduction to a few of those career options.”

   A $7,500 donation from SRNS covered the costs of housing, meals, supplies and a stipend for camp counselors.

   "Summer camps like Girls Get SET provide additional opportunities for students to further build their level of knowledge in these areas that will undoubtedly prove to be very important in life," said Wallis Spangler, SRNS senior vice president, National Nuclear Security Administration Operations & Programs.  

   For most of the girls, it was their first opportunity to sleep in a dormitory and experience other aspects of campus life. Counselors integrated discussions on college life into the camp.

   "A lot of high school students are nervous about leaving home to live on a college campus. This camp hopefully helped to alleviate some of that anxiety," Bennett said.

   The camp creates a “win-win-win” situation for all involved, Bennett said.

   “The girls had an awesome experience, SRNS potentially influenced future candidates for STEM-related jobs and USCA had the opportunity to showcase their campus to prospective students,” she said.