Updates

HCC and local school districts inspire minority male students to pursue STEM careers with interactive camp

Sep 10, 2014

Dusting for fingerprints, building robots and mapping out cities, classrooms at Alief Taylor High School, Raul Yzaguirre School of Success and Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy were filled with students excited about the endless possibilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. While it's not unusual to see students get hands-on experience, this camp addressed a pressing need across the country - minority students pursuing STEM degrees. According to the Huffington Post, minorities studying STEM are at an all-time low. Houston Community College and local ISD’s are hoping to end that. One way is by hosting a three-week STEM camp for children ages 10 through 14 years old.

"This camp is on target with various industries that need qualified STEM workers and it's addressing the fact that people of color are grossly underrepresented in the STEM field," said Jean Williams, STEM camp organizer. "We're here to meet the needs of Houston employers."

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, only five percent of U.S. workers are employed in industries related to science and engineering, yet they are responsible for more than 50 percent of our sustained economic expansion.

Teachers from HCC, Alief ISD and HISD as well as practicing engineers and scientists walked the 433 students through three main subjects: forensics, engineering and robotics.

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‌Students didn't just sit through lectures, but were encouraged to work with their hands and in teams to enhance the experience. The camp participants were challenged to solve crimes by using forensic science tools and to build a robot that completed an obstacle course. Learning skills that professionals use on a regular basis, students also mapped out a city that included residential areas, retail outlets and docks for importing and exporting of goods.

Camp attendee Alyssa Flores, 13, enjoyed her time studying STEM. "I loved having the opportunity to work with my hands in forensics. I got excited finding out who the suspect was and this is what I want to do when I grow up."

While providing students an opportunity to actively engage in STEM, this camp was a call to meet the need of future career demands for the STEM field, which lacks diverse and qualified employees.

Students were selected for the camp at random by teachers throughout the school year. Most students came from Alief ISD middle schools, Young Men’s College Preparatory Academy and Raul Yzaguirre School of Success.. For more information on HCC STEM Academies contact Rodney McLaurin at rodney.mclaurin@hccs.edu.