STEM Summer Camp a Family Night Hit

By Misty Cryer

Inspired by Science hosted its reputable STEM Summer Camp at Southeast New Mexico Community College (SENMC) earlier this month. The day camp is for kids aged seven to 12. The excitement of the camp can be shared with the campers’ families for two nights during camp week, making for fun, educational experiences for all.

Tanner Walterscheid attended the camp for the second time this year. “Last year, we signed him up for the first time because he hit the age limit, and my son just loves science,” said Taylor Walterscheid, Tanner’s mom. She said he works with Mrs. A (Deena Antiporda), who comes to his school, Carlsbad Prep Academy, and does a science fair. When he found out about the Inspired by Science STEM Camp, she said, “He was just so excited.”

Tanner said he likes working with Mrs. A. In his school, he said he learned about robots and electricity. They also did something with elephant toothpaste that comes out of a beaker.

Taylor said the family night at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute was fun. “I thought it was a great addition for the kids to be able to get out and kind of learn about more things that are in the community that are a little bit more science related.”

She said her daughter, Brooklyn, who is not old enough to attend the STEM Camp, had a good time and was able to participate in the activities. “It really was a good family night,” she said.

During family night at the National Cave and Karst Institute, Taylor said, “They had different stations. There was a station that had a virtual cave that you could sit in, and it was dark. It was kind of like a movie; it was like you were going through this cave.”

Other stations Taylor mentioned included one where you could crawl between boards that could get bigger or smaller to test cave limits, and a small area with 35 pounds of different ropes and pulleys showing how it makes it easier to pull with more points of contact in the pulleys. “The library was there showing their activities for the summer,” she added.

There was also a business there, she said, that had sinkholes and demonstrations of how they were created. There was oil put on a rock that made a hole in it, she said, among the various demonstrations of the things the organizations deal with.

Tanner said his favorite part of the camp was making the catapult and slime.

Mrs. Antiporda explained that a catapult is a mechanical device that stores potential energy and rapidly releases it to hurl an object into the air.

Tanner said the catapult that he made shoots balls.

Another activity the kids enjoyed at camp was building a car they could play with. Tanner said the parts included rubber bands, cardboard, some wheels, some batteries, some wires, and a motor.

“I just think it’s a great way for kids to get involved with the science community, and it’s very hands-on,” said Taylor. “Tanner truly enjoys it, and on the last day, he’s always so sad and is talking about looking forward to next year,” she said.

While there are many activities kids can get involved in during the summer, Taylor said, “For them to be able to have education and fun linked together, I think it’s just fantastic.”