Magnolia Midlands GYSTC STEM Discovery Camp held at The Fulford Center

Posted

In June, students were emersed in the Magnolia Midlands Georgia Youth Science and Technology Center (MMGYSTC) STEM Discovery Camp at the Sudie Fulford Community Learning Center at East Georgia State College. Students learned about the engineering design process and a series of steps that engineers follow to find a solution to a problem. The steps included problem solving processes such as determining objectives and constraints, brainstorming ideas, creating prototypes, testing the design, and evaluation.

Throughout the week, students participated in various STEM challenges including designing and building a paddle boat, a Rube Goldberg machine, a solution for pollution, and a structure from newspaper that would support several large books. Students also made and observed homemade lava lamps, and they created a model of a honeybee and modeled pollination. Camp participants then tried to improve the design to be a better pollinator.

Mrs. Erin Youmans, camp instructor, showed the students how they could keep a close watch on the East Georgia State College Apiary by visiting the following site, https://www.ega.edu/about/sustainability/bee-campus/bee-cam.html.

For the technology component, students used Makey-Makeys to test insulators and conductors and ultimately create sounds and songs on computers. The students learned about various STEM careers connected to each activity and finished off the week creating their first resume’.

Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers’ (GYSTC) STEM Discovery Camp is an exciting four-day learning experience for students who will evolve into our next generation of scientist, engineers, and IT professionals. The camp is held annually around the state.

Opened in 1995, the Magnolia Midlands Georgia Youth Science & Technology Center is a Regional Center for GYSTC, Inc. which is a private, not-for-profit educational organization designed to increase interest in and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for serious study, particularly among elementary and middle school teachers, students, and parents in typically underserved areas in the state. Magnolia Midlands GYSTC is located at the Fulford Center at East Georgia State College in Swainsboro.