The National Defense Education Program (NDEP) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), in collaboration with the STEM Education Alliance, teamed up to hold the Seventh Annual STEM Summer Academy on June 23-27, 2014. The Academy invited 96 middle school students from four nearby school divisions: King George, Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and the Department of Defense School at Dahlgren. The STEM Academy is designed to develop teamwork; problem solving skills and increased knowledge in math, science and engineering; as well as increase career awareness in STEM related fields. Each student team was partnered with a teacher and a scientist or engineer from the Naval Surface Warfare Center. Together they competed in a tower build challenge, water rocket challenge, life science activity, logistics activity, STEM career connections activities, and ten Navy-focused robotic mission challenges.
Beginning in 2013, the Dahlgren STEM Summer Academy relocated to King George Middle School. Relocating the Academy allowed for the students’ parents to attend Parent Day on June 25th. Parent Day was a great success! Parents participated in a Career Awareness presentation and received materials on future STEM opportunities provided by each school division, STEM Education Alliance, and The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division.
