This summer, ten students from Katy ISD, attended Rice University’s prestigious camps hosted by The Tapia Center for Excellence and Equity. The students came from Obra D. Tompkins High School, Seven Lakes High School, McMeans Junior School and Cinco Ranch High School

“Say STEM Camp”, available to rising 8th-12th graders, features a week-long residential experience with a challenging STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum. Campers experiment with hands-on STEM projects like building miniature wind turbines out of household items including glue, cardstock and popsicle sticks. At the same time, students enhance their communication skills by learning how to simplify complicated STEM ideas via graphic drawings and an end-of-camp oral presentation – all while experiencing life on a college campus.

“The mission of Say STEM Camp is to build a bright future for all eighth through twelfth graders who want to go into a STEM field. Regardless of background, they should all have an equal playing field for being able to enter and succeed at the sciences,” said Dr. Paul Hand, director of the Say STEM Camp. “At this camp, our curriculum is split between STEM academia and communications exercises because both are critical to real-world success in STEM.”

This summer, more than 300 students and 50 educators from across Texas and beyond attended the camps.