CLEVELAND — Girls interested in science, technology, engineering and math have some new learning opportunities this summer.
Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio debuted four new STEM camps this year.
Don’t worry, they’re still eating s’mores and gathering ‘round the campfire, but they’re also learning things like coding and how to make prosthetic arms in their biomedical engineering camp.
Playing with popsicle sticks at this program doesn’t mean it’s craft time.
“This is our bone bridge if you will,” said Alex Keller.
She partnered with Riley Kirkbride to construct their creation. The wooden sticks representing something more.
“The skeletal system is made up of, not popsicle sticks, but different things that make up one even bigger thing,” said Keller.
There was a point to the project.
“To hold at least five of the playdough containers, so it has to be a sturdy bridge,” said Kirkbride. “And at least a foot long.”
And to provide some challenge-based “real world” knowledge about biomedical engineering.
“I’m really hoping that this comes out of camp and it sticks with me,” said Kirkbride.
The 13-year-old said she plans to be a pilot someday but also study engineering.
Keller’s parents also hope their daughter sticks with STEM.
“They want me to get a good job in the future and they want me to get into some sort of engineering job because I am good at math, you know?” Keller said.
She’s planning on being an orthopedic surgeon.
Seeing girls excited about STEM is a big deal to Erica Hakko.
“I remember when I was their age being the only girl in all of my engineering classes and just feeling so isolated from that,” she said.
Hakko is the STEM coordinator for Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio.
She created the curriculum for the group’s four new STEM-based camps this year including this one.
Coding projects early in the week build-up to the grand finale – building a prosthetic arm. The pieces are being printed on a 3D printer.
The campers said they’re looking forward to the chance to use technology to help people.
“I want to specialize in helping people with memory loss and other mental disabilities,” said 12-year-old Riley Edmonds. She said her great-grandmother suffered from memory-related issues before her death.
“I think it’s an important thing to remember that most people do their jobs in the medical field to help other people, not just because of the pay,” she said.
The biomedical engineering camp was open to students in sixth through ninth grades.
