Registration is open for the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga’s annual STEAM Camp, held on July 10-14.
STEAM, part of ULGC’s Project Ready program, is open for rising sixth, seventh and eighth grade students and is free to participate. Free breakfast, lunch and snacks are provided daily to participants.
“Our hope is that STEAM will increase their interest and probability to later pursue careers in STEM fields as we know that STEM careers are predicted to experience the highest growth in job numbers between now and 2030.
Currently, only 28 percent of the STEM workforce is female, 7 percent is black and 6 percent is Hispanic,” said Candy Johnson, president and CEO of ULGC.
Officials said, "For more than a decade, ULGC has prioritized STEM educational initiatives to increase exposure, access and opportunities for youth of color and other disadvantaged groups to strengthen their knowledge and abilities to think critically."
Community partners for the program include the University of Chattanooga’s Department of English and the Tennessee Aquarium. Both also support ULGC’s LEAP after school programs throughout the academic year and work to provide a space for students to learn about STEM in engaging ways.
“I’m excited about what we have planned for this year. The addition of a social-emotional learning component, physical fitness and off-site filed trips encompasses a wide variety of problem solving and artistic exercises for the participants,” said Robin Sturnes, director of education and family empowerment at ULGC.
For more information about the summer camp, email Ms. Sturnes at rsturnes@ulchatt.net or visit www.ulchatt.net.