STEM Gems Summer Camp (a project of STEAM Train Inc.) is a STEM-intensive week of hands-on activities, career exploration, and mindful conversations.
This summer, Connecticut River Conservancy partnered with Mary Ruth Shields who is a long-time CRC volunteer and business owner, Kim O’Rourke, Middletown Recycling Coordinator, and Jane Brawerman of the CT River Coastal Conservation District to bring the children an expansive and engaging array of environmentally focused activities. CRC’s seasonal staff helped the day come together by assisting our partners with their activities.
Rotating Learning Stations Create a Dynamic Activity Flow
The campers rotated through the stations so they got to experience all the activities. We begin with paper making! Adelheid Koepfer and Mary Ruth Shields hosted a table to showcase the children’s creativity by having them learn how to make paper out of recycled paper. There was a variety of colors to choose from and the children loved getting the chance to make their own recycled piece of paper!
We then move stations to get down and dirty with compost. Kim O’Rourke and her assistant Kate led an exciting activity that taught children how to compost, and why it is important and helpful to the environment. They also got to see some worms! The children were thrilled to get to see what makes up compost and to be able to plant seeds in a container of their own to bring the activity home.
Not too far from compost, we have our soil station! Jane Brawerman and Kate Preston taught the children about what makes up healthy soil and the different critters that you can find in it. The children couldn’t stop talking about the different insects they got to identify and why healthy soil is important for healthy plants.
After feeling antsy from the soil and compost, the campers were ready for some tag! Ava Gandhi and Michelle Helming led a Runoff Tag Activity designed by a Wesleyan University student. The activity taught the children how trees prevent pollution from getting into waterways and how they provide habitat and shade from the sun. The children could barely contain their excitement as they identified where certain species live in the Connecticut River watershed and pretended to be trees in the tag game.
To cool off, the campers finally headed inside to finish off the day with another colorful activity. Kaitlin Koczon and Hayden Crumb helped the children explore their creative side by having them add their touch to Mary Ruth Shields’ art project which consisted of different materials that may have been referred to as “trash” prior. The children also had the chance to color in some beautiful coloring pages of different species in the Connecticut River watershed.
Environmental Education is Essential for Future Generations
About 80 children had the chance to see how fun and diverse environmental science can be. CRC and our partners are thrilled that we had another chance to show that there are many different avenues to take if the campers wish to pursue a future of helping and learning about the environment.
Our environmental education work in Middletown is funded by the Robert F. Schumann Foundation, the Raymond and Pauline Larson Family Foundation, and the Community Foundation of Middlesex County. Thank you for making these incredible experiences possible!