From July 23 to July 28, the Women Empowered by Science (WEBS) Summer Camp at Wilkes University provided young science enthusiasts with an exciting opportunity to explore various scientific fields through hands-on laboratories and activities.
“The program started 21 years ago and the focus of the camp was to involve young women who have an interest in science, in hands-on laboratories, demonstrations so that we could continue, perpetuate that interest,” said Debra Chapman, faculty of practice for the biology department.
The WEBS Summer camp was initiated with a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute 15 years ago. Although its main goals have stayed consistent, the camp now incorporates a more extensive emphasis on scientific activities during the week.
The camp, held at the Simms Center on Main for check-in and check-out, and laboratories located at the Cohen Science Center and Stark Learning Center, offered campers a chance to work directly with university faculty, staff and students. They engaged in diverse scientific projects and gained essential laboratory skills and critical-thinking abilities.
Each day, the campers experienced two, three or four different laboratories, including biology, chemistry, environmental engineering, pharmacy, physics and robotics. This “sampling” approach allowed them to explore different scientific disciplines.
“I use the analogy of the box of chocolates where you can sample and determine what you like and you don’t like, and I think at the ages of 12-15, that’s an important thing mainly because, from my seat at the university, I see a lot of our freshman sophomores, juniors and sometimes seniors changing their minds about their careers, let alone a child that’s so young,” said Chapman. “I like to give them the opportunity to, to see what’s out there.
Throughout the week, representatives from local wildlife agencies and scientific organizations presented live programs, further enriching the campers’ knowledge and understanding of real-world applications in science-related fields.
The camp takes place on a college campus, providing the participants with the opportunity to interact with female students, faculty and staff in the sciences. Rather than simply informing them about these experiences, the camp immerses them in the environment to become an integral part of it.
The program includes two to four diverse science labs each day, allowing the girls to explore various fields of science. This approach aims to avoid early assumptions about their future career paths. Instead, they have the chance to sample different areas and determine their interests and preferences. The process involves both eliminating and adding potential pursuits to their list.
“What I like is the opportunity that this camp gives our students: our freshmen and sophomores, juniors, especially those that are serving as coordinators because Ada and Karlee, I’m sure, have learned an incredible amount in terms of time management,” said Chapman. “Thinking ahead, planning, implementing, those are skills that you can only develop. You don’t learn those skills from a book.”
In addition to the scientific learning, camp participants became familiar with life on a college campus. They had the opportunity to interact with and learn from Wilkes faculty, staff, students and professional women engaged in various science-related careers.
“It’s my second time and I really just love doing the labs and really preparing myself for future classes in college and I also like to see my friends who come every year too,” says Lucy Martin, a WEBS camper and an 8th-grade student at Solomon-Plains Middle School, in an interview with WBRE/WYOU.
The camp’s registration operated on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited space. The tuition for the WEBS 1.0 camp (7th and 8th-grade students) was $250 for the six-day duration. For older campers in WEBS 2.0 and 3.0 (9th to 12th-grade), the fee was the same at $250.
Scholarships based on financial need were available for those interested in attending the camp. More information about scholarships could be obtained by contacting the camp organizers.
The $250 tuition covered numerous benefits for the campers, including hands-on labs, programs with experts, a T-shirt, drawstring bag, lab safety equipment, two daily snacks, a closing day celebration and educational take-home items.
“My favorite part of the WEBS Summer Camp has to be during the last day,” said Ada Soriano, junior pre-pharmacy and Spanish student. “This is the time where the campers present what they have learned whether it may be in the form of a skit or a dance presentation. The girls have fun expressing themselves and during their presentations I really get to see their newly formed friendships.”
The WEBS Summer Camp was undoubtedly a valuable experience for young women interested in science. Through engaging laboratories and interactions with professionals, campers gained insights and skills that will serve them well in their future pursuits.
“The most rewarding aspect of being involved in the camp is seeing the reactions of the girls when they are first introduced to a science topic or activity,” said Soriano. “For example, during frog dissections I stopped in and saw a girl look completely disgusted with the frog. However, she was still excited to dissect the frog and she asked many questions about the frog. It’s really heartwarming to see all the girls express their curiosity and it’s even better when the parents tell us about how their camper enjoyed the week.”