How to Get Involved This Summer: The STEAM Project
Are you a student off for the summer break and wondering what you can do to keep yourself busy? Do you have a passion for getting involved in the community and learning more about science and the opportunities that await you as a STEM student? Well, I have some good news for you because this series is dedicated to all of YOU out there who answered “YES” to both of those questions! For many students, the summer is a relaxing time to de-stress, hang out with friends and family, and of course, begin preparing for the next school year. However, for those of you eager to continue working and staying active in your community, volunteer opportunities and summer internships are great activities that you can add to your list of summer to-dos. If you want to learn more about some amazing volunteer opportunities you can take on during your summer break, be sure to keep reading and stay tuned for our ongoing series during the month.
First off, I believe a HUGE congratulations is in order for all students whether you have just finished your first, second, third, or fourth year of high school, your last year of elementary school or any year for that matter! You made it through even in the toughest of times, and for that, you deserve some time off to take a break and rest! However, summer can also be a great time to start learning more about volunteer opportunities in your community and how to get involved in some activities to give back to students and workers in your area. Student volunteer opportunities come along very often, however, gaining access to and becoming aware of these opportunities and the applications associated with them can be difficult at times. In this blog, I will be presenting an amazing opportunity for students across all years of high school and post-secondary, as a way of getting involved in science during the summer.
The STEAM Project
The STEAM Project is a year-round youth organization that holds workshops and camps for STEAM students, and their most-awaited and successful events are held during the summer as summer camps for students across the GTA to participate in. Of course, these camps would not be possible without students who are willing to dedicate their time to making the camp full of excitement and keeping students engaged in amazing summer activities. Some of the activities that are offered to students during these camps include fashion design, digital art, coding, electronics, science experiments and workshops, 3-D printing, and many more! The STEAM project values growth and curiosity in its students and ensures that they are providing a safe and welcoming environment for students to put their imaginations and wildest ideas to the test, in hopes of making them more aware of what truly resonates with them. The camps are designed to encourage and empower youth by exploring the many ways in which STEAM fields and opportunities are open to them as they continue throughout their educational career including ways for them to become inspired to take on STEAM projects in the next generation.
Why Participate?
The STEAM Project is the first and largest STEAM summer camp in the GTA, specifically in Richmond Hill and Markham where students are given once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to explore their imaginations beyond their experiences in the classroom. The camp is run by Ontario Certified Teachers and therefore ensures that students are receiving high-quality education and knowledge that will be of help to them in their future as they begin diversifying and exploring new areas of expertise in their high school years. This camp not only benefits students participating but for the staff and camp volunteers, there are amazing opportunities for you to build your skills and learn new things. Working in a 1:4 ratio, you will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience along with the students and their activities that are certain to last a lifetime and be applied to a wide range of different environments. By volunteering and/or working at The STEAM Project summer camps, there are plenty of valuable skills that you can develop and strengthen that will help you become a better student, teacher, and learner yourself. Some of these skills include teamwork, leadership skills, organization, collaboration, and certainly, exposure to different fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and math will change the way you perceive these fields and some of the research projects going on around your school and institutions which will motivate you to become more involved.
How to Get Involved?
If this camp sounds as awesome to you as it did to me while writing to all of you about it, get ready to turn that frown upside down because The STEAM Project is recruiting summer student volunteers and counselors for the upcoming summer camps. Although they have begun this week, the camp offers students to participate in the August sessions to provide everyone with the chance to become a part of such an amazing initiative. If you live in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), this camp will be nearby for you to participate in as their camps will be running in person this year! The application for students to become part of this event, specifically through a volunteer position is for grade 11 students or higher and if you are interested click here to see the application information. In addition, for grade 9 and 10 students, there are certainly opportunities for you as well, specifically in the role of a Counselor in Training (CIT) which you can click here to learn more about. For a list of all other positions offered by the camp for students to participate in, please click here for more information!
The STEAM Project was started by a group of motivated and determined individuals who are dedicated to giving students who are interested in STEAM fields, the opportunity to explore their imagination further in a space where there are no limits beyond having fun! It is a great way for you, as a student, to get involved to become better equipped with leadership and mentorship skills, while also learning a little bit about science and all components of STEAM at the same time.
About the Writer: Wynter Sutchy is a soon-to-be second-year undergraduate student at McMaster University studying Life Sciences and is from King City, ON. She is very passionate about the healthcare field and enjoys sharing her volunteering experiences through writing. She plans to pursue a career in medicine in the future and plans to explore the field of healthcare through research and volunteering throughout her undergraduate career. In her free time, you can expect her to be watching her favourite show, Greys Anatomy, teaching children how to swim, or baking some delicious desserts!
