STEAM Academy 2022

The STEAM Team Summer Academy provides quality educational programming for middle school and high school students. Over the course of two weeks, students participate in hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Students participants engage their creativity, enhance their approach to problem solving, and develop communication and critical thinking skills. The daily activities include discussions around the United Nations Goals for Sustainable Development, designing and building complex chain reaction machines, exploring mathematical concepts through folding, team building through fitness activities, and goal setting in preparation for transition to high school, college and career. The Academy begins with a pre-Academy orientation for students and their families on Sunday, and culminates with the Youth and Community conference on the Saturday following the two weeks of activities.

During the 2-week-long experience students will:

-Explore mathematical concepts and engineering design principles;

-Design and build complex chain reaction machines, robotic devices, and origami structures;

-Engage their curiosity to ask and explore their own questions;

-Develop critical mathematics skills and understanding;

-Engage in artistic endeavors;

-Participate in fun character and team-building through fitness and theatre activities;

-Learn about people and careers in STEAM, highlighting the experiences of women and minorities in the STEAM fields;

-Engage in daily personal and academic goal-setting sessions;

-Learn how to use the middle and high school years to prepare for college and careers.

Orientation: The academy begins with a pre-camp meeting on Sunday for the students and their families. The pre-camp meeting includes a discussion of the expectations for the week and an opportunity for the families to meet and participate in team-building activities together.

Learner Goals

-Apply engineering design principles and develop increased engineering confidence, interest and knowledge;

-Apply critical mathematics skills and develop increased mathematics confidence, interest and knowledge;

-Improve problem solving, communications and critical thinking skills; -Improve leadership and goal-setting skills;

-Better understand personal strengths, interests and values; -Increase understanding of different careers;

-Recognize how to use the middle and high school years wisely to prepare for college and careers; -Increase exposure to the university/college campus and faculty and students;

-Recognize that failure is a natural, worthwhile part of the learning process and develop perseverance;

-Develop the Common Core Mathematical Practices and the Next Generation Science Standards Engineering Practices.

Location: University of San Diego Campus, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110

Program Directors: The STEAM Team Summer Academy is run by a team of three University of San Diego Faculty- Odesma Dalrymple, Perla Myers, and Joi Spencer. Dalrymple, Myers and Spencer are accomplished educators with expertise in STEAM instruction across the K-16 pipeline.

Learn More: If you have questions regarding this summer program, please contact steamteam@sandiego.edu

The S(TEAM)2 Summer Academy is a collaboration of University of San Diego faculty from the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, and the College of Arts and Sciences (Department of Mathematics).