By Nathan Riley, marketing intern
This summer, Ivy Tech Community College partnered with Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Community Centers and the Boys and Girls Club to host three STEM camps for ages 10 and up on our Fort Wayne Campus. STEM is an educational system that teaches children in areas like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We hosted 14 students for one week at a time and included activities such as: robotics, chemistry, field trips, masonry, culinary arts, biology, and more.
We kicked off the summer with a STEM/culinary-focused camp called “The Art and Science of Food,” June 11-15. Students learned about nutrition, baking and cooking safety, food science, and culinary careers. They toured Sweetwater Sound and Hilgers Family Farm and also worked alongside Ivy Tech students and faculty on the College’s Grasshopper food truck. They served lunch to Ivy Tech employees and donated their funds to a local nonprofit.
On June 25-29, the annual STEM Camp took place, which highlights careers in sciences and technology. Students learned everything from 
the chemistry behind Silly Putty to how to solder an electric doorbell. They studied water microorganisms from Metea Park and launched handmade rockets.
And this week (July 16-20), we are hosting a Skilled Trades Camp for 8th grade and above. In this camp, students are carving pens, creating slider whistles, disassembling and reassembling a car engine, bricklaying, and constructing a birdhouse. They’ll also be build rockets and soldering electronics with the goal of introducing students to high-wage, in-demand jobs in the skilled and building trades.
These programs are made possible through generous grant funding from the Lincoln Foundation, the Wilson foundation, AEP/Indiana Michigan Power, and NIPSCO. The summer camps are part of the College’s IvyLiving enrichment programming.
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