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Incoming fifth and sixth grade students from Ile Omode School in Oakland got to experience a free science summer camp at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park for a week. Throughout the CORE Science Institute summer camp, students worked on multiple projects focused on energy, physics and engineering in a national facility.
On July 19, 21 students showcased what they learned at camp to parents and SLAC staff in a poster presentation of their projects. Students as young as 10 years old were confidently using terms such as velocity and potential and kinetic energy to explain what they learned.
“Camps like these are fundamental to future scientists,” said Shirin Ketabforoush, SLAC’s diversity, equity, inclusion organizational engagement specialist.
The camp was founded in 2016 as a part of an effort to give underrepresented youth the opportunity to work with real scientists and engineers while learning about science through hands-on activities led by SLAC staff. Students at camp get a firsthand look into the opportunities they have in a STEM, science, technology, engineering and math career.
The camp provided transportation from Oakland to SLAC for all campers to attend. This is the youngest group of students to attend CSI summer camp.
“We’re not just camp. We’re educating our next generation of colleagues,” said Jane Shtalenkova, accelerator operations engineer and CSI camp coordinator. She added that a few camp alumni have come back as camp counselors or interns at SLAC.
Camp staff have developed interactive curriculum including marble roller coasters, physics and basketball, paper bridge and rockets. They’ve “humanized” science and connected their learning to things that students are familiar with — reminding them that physics is around them even when they might not expect it.
Elewa, left, and Assata, right, present the work they did during the CORE Science Institute summer camp at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park on July 19, 2024. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Ahmeer, right, chats with SLAC employee Keith Jobe, left, about the work he did during the CORE Science Institute summer camp in Menlo Park on July 19, 2024. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Isaac presents the work he did on model rockets during the CORE Science Institute summer camp in front of camp couselors and another student at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park on July 19, 2024. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Students of the CORE Science Institute summer camp present their work to family, friends and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory staff in Menlo Park on July 19, 2024. Photo by Magali Gauthier. 
Freddy, left, and Micah, right, present the work they did on marble rollercoasters during the CORE Science Institute summer camp at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park on July 19, 2024. Photo by Magali Gauthier.
The middle schoolers were also joined by college students of the Atlanta University Center Consortium who are currently taking part in the SLAC Summer Pathways Residency program. These college students work as camp counselors during the day and in the evening have the opportunity to tour SLAC facilities, meet with staff and learn about the careers within the lab.
The AUCC is an organization of four historically Black colleges which aim to support and expand opportunities to their students.
“It was amazing to see these young minds being put to work and actually having different ideas, but also learning how to collaborate with one another and learn that engineering is about collaboration,” said Wynter Clemons, a chemical engineering major from Clark Atlanta University.
Jayden Fleming, computer science and computer engineering major at Spelman College, emphasizes that “the overall mission to increase the pipeline of Black engineers doesn’t start in college. It starts from as young as K-12.”
Dorian Bohler, accelerator physicist and co-founder of the CSI summer camp said “a lot of students have teachers in math and science who don’t have a STEM background and that’s one of the key pieces of data that correlate to the lack of representation in STEM.”
In just one week, students have shown to have absorbed a great amount of scientific knowledge, as well as an understanding of teamwork, perseverance and trial and error.
Freddy, 11, presented with his peer Micah, 10, on their marble roller coaster project, explaining how the movement of the marble on their foam roller coaster is charged by momentum, kinetic energy and potential energy.
Michah’s mother Tamara Forte said that everyday after camp, her son willingly talks about everything he learned without her having to ask any questions. “It’s amazing,” she said. He’s told her he wants to pursue a career in engineering.
“I think it’s important for Black students to see Black professions and scientists in their spaces so that they know that they belong there as well,” said Bohler.
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