Middle school girls from Sunnyside Unified School District spent a portion of their summer vacation delving into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields as they participated in a camp hosted by the Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation.
The Applied Career Exploration in STEM (ACES) Camp, which was held July 11-15 at no charge to participants, is designed to let students explore a wide variety of careers and spark their interest in higher education in STEM fields. It also underscores that women are essential in every career, SARSEF organizers said in a news release.
This year, the camp hosted a total of 40 campers who visited STEM centers throughout Tucson to engage in immersive, hands-on tours and activities. Some of the tours included the Pima Community College Downtown Campus, the University of Arizona and Sonora Quest Laboratories.
The campers also visited an autopsy room, where they were able to examine human organs preserved for educational purposes.
And to combine entrepreneurship with the STEM activities, the students engaged in a βShark Tankβ activity in which they explored the process of designing, creating and financing a new product made of recycled materials.
After running for more than a decade, the ACES Camp has served more than 500 participants, some of whom have become engineers or scientists. To learn more about the ACES Camp, visit https://sarsef.org.
Applications for education award
The application cycle for the Raytheon Leaders in Education Award is open through Sept. 12.
The program recognizes and rewards Pima County teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade who are achieving outstanding classroom performance, demonstrating leadership in their schools and communities, and supporting their peers.
The judges will evaluate the applications, narrow them to 12 finalists and ultimately choose four awardees: one representing pre-kinder, one for grades K-5, another for grades 6-8, and the last representing grades 9-12.
The four winners will each receive a $2,500 cash prize, and an additional $2,500 in matching gifts will be presented to each winning teacherβs respective school. The finalists will each receive $500.
To find the eligibility requirements and application materials for the Raytheon Leaders in Education Award, visit https://TucsonValuesTeachers.org.
New principal named
Casey Robinson was named high school principal for Desert Christian Schools, a private institution on Tucsonβs east side.
Robinson has more than 20 yearsβ experience in education, according to a news release. She obtained a bachelorβs degree in education from the University of New Orleans and a masterβs degree in education leadership from Northern Arizona University.
Most recently, she served as director of admissions for Pusch Ridge Christian Academy.
βEducating the next generation is an honor and a privilege,β Robinson said in the Desert Christian Schools news release. βMy desire is to see our students grow in their discernment; to be able to evaluate what they are learning and to think critically as they move into adulthood.β
Desert Christian was founded as a high school in 1986 and has since grown to include a second campus for preschool through eighth grade.
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