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As COVID-19 has prevented many traditional, face-to-face summer camp activities from taking place, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s STEM Center got creative with the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois to offer young girls an engaging virtual STEM camp from July 13-17.

“It is important to help girls explore STEM concepts in small, single-gendered groups,” said SIUE STEM Center Program Coordinator Emily Stanley. “The Girl Scouts have been encouraging girls in STEM from the beginning of the organization in 1912. Their methods for learning mirror ours for outreach—kids learn math and science concepts better when they are able to demonstrate it themselves.”

STEM Camp: Unleashed was attended by 25 girls, entering grades 1-8. For an hour each day, the youth learned about electricity and circuits, engineering design, STEAM, and math and patterns.

“We were grateful to collaborate with the SIUE STEM Center to share activities in a new way this year,” said Mary Buchanan, director of program engagement with the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois. “Phillips 66 – Wood River Refinery also helped sponsor STEM camp, so it was a true community effort. The girls were resilient and excited to learn. It was fun to see them adapt to our current circumstances with their same enthusiasm for STEM.”

“The one component I didn’t think we would see is cooperative learning, but the Zoom environment and small group interactions made for interesting conversations between participants,” Stanley reflected. “Girls were able to demonstrate experiments and activities they did on their own and answer questions from the activity leader and other girls.”

“Kids in this age level are still learning about their environment and themselves,” added Stanley. “Introducing STEM concepts to young learners helps them shape their world, even if they are not all going to be researchers, engineers or statisticians. My goal with any outreach program is to encourage the growth of a generation of critical thinkers.”

Since its inception, the STEM Center has been highly involved with the Girl Scouts, marking 2020 as the eighth year of providing summer STEM activities for young girls in the area. A priority of the center is to provide public outreach activities for youth to inspire them and build their confidence in math and science.

This successful virtual experience has inspired the STEM Center to plan a STEM Careers event using the same online format used with the Girl Scouts. Details are forthcoming.

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois serves approximately 9,000 girls and engages 3,500 adult volunteers in 40.5counties in Southern Illinois. Join Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois today! Adult volunteers and girls in K-12 are welcome. Call 800-345-6858 or email customercare@gsofsi.org. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a not-for-profit organization supported by various United Ways, businesses and individual donors throughout the region. 

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Center for STEM Research, Education and Outreach comprises an independent group of researchers and educators, innovating ways to engage students and the public in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Within the SIUE Graduate School, the Center brings together research faculty, graduate students and practitioners to conduct education research. The Center contributes educational expertise to SIUE undergraduate classes and provides professional development for K-12 teachers. The Center boasts a significant library of equipment and resources, which are available for loan at no cost to campus and regional instructors. For more information, visit https://www.siue.edu/stem/ or contact STEM Center Director Sharon Locke at (618) 650-3065 or stemcenter@siue.edu.

Photo: SIUE STEM Center Program Coordinator Emily Stanley (top, second from left) leads a STEM activity during a virtual camp attended by members of the Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois.