The National Defense Education Program (NDEP) and four Hampton Roads Naval Commands, in collaboration with The College of William and Mary' STEM Education Alliance teamed up to hold the Second Annual Hampton Roads STEM Summer Academy. The event was held at Norview High School in Norfolk on July 16 - 20, 2012. The event was a collaborative effort among four southside school divisions: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth, and four Hampton Roads Naval Commands: the Combat Direction Systems Activity-Dam Neck, Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division Detachment Norfolk, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command- Systems Center Atlantic, and the Norfolk Naval Ship Yard. The academy invited 100 middle school students from the Hampton Roads area to engage in an action packed camp experience infusing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The STEM Academy is designed to develop team work, problem solving skills in math and science, and increase career awareness in STEM related fields. Each student team was partnered with a teacher and a scientist or engineer from one of the naval commands. Together they competed in the Tower Build Challenge, Water Rocket Challenge, Buoyancy Challenge and numerous Robotics Challenges.
Click here to view Wavy TV 10's story of the Academy's activities
