ScienceQuest
In Summer 2006, a partnership between the Fast Forward Community Technology Center, the City of Columbia, and the University of South Carolina created a model summer camp program that merged hands-on science with technology and personal development skills for middle school girls.This project was funded in part by a generous gift from the Women in Philanthropy who helped enable the campers to participate at no-cost.
In 2006, we were able to conduct three, 1-week camps that were each comprised of ~ 20 campers. In 2007, the summer camps were expanded to include all day camps for boys as well. Daily experiments that focused on the local environment, journal keeping, scientific reading and play made each day a new experience. Each camp culminated in a visit from USC women scientists to give students the opportunity to talk about possible careers in science, ask questions about science, being a woman/minority scientist, and life in general.
In addition, the students created a garden that they added to each week, leaving the Mays Park neighborhood with a token of their appreciation at the end of the summer.
For more information about the program, please click here.