When children are out of school for breaks, holidays, intercession or summer, many parents struggle with finding activities for informal learning to take place that aren’t in front of a screen. That is why the University of Southern Mississippi Center for STEM Education has created “S3—Sustainable STEM by the Sea” as an affordable outlet where coastal students discover the habitat and environment in their own back yards.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast is a living lab with much to teach the inquisitive learner. Enrollment in the S3 camps allows students an opportunity to explore water quality, native and invasive species, storm resilience, and sustainable design to understand how to make smart choices in protecting the local environment.
The spring camp is set for March 30 to April 2, and seats are still available. Along with the classroom studio activities in building, arts, and life, the campers will experience a career as a shrimper on board The Sailfish understanding tools of the trade, regulations and restrictions, and the catch from the Mississippi Sound after dragging a 16-foot trawl.
Registration is open now for the spring camp and all subsequent camps. For more information about the camp activities, format and objectives, or to register a student, visit the S3 website.
Camps are being offered in conjunction with the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi and are built around school calendars, providing opportunities to learn and have fun during breaks and intercessions. Each camp builds on skills from the previous camp but also provides stand-alone STEM learning for students third through eighth grades. Each camp includes hands-on activities focusing on local habitats and marine-life and includes a field trip with hands-on experiences with local industry or STEM professionals.
This camp offers snacks and lunch, supplies, transportation to field experiences, and local STEM educators from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. for only $10 per day. Before and after camp care is provided at an additional charge to accommodate working parents. The camp objective is to connect students, teachers, and communities to solve real, local problems through place-based STEM activities.
Dr. Rachel Gisewhite is facilitating these programs as part of a graduate student’s dissertation and research, and she hopes for it to continue long after a successful defense by the student. This outreach program incorporates unique characteristics of the Mississippi Gulf Coast into every lesson using hands-on learning to explore ecosystems, test ideas, and communicate solutions while connecting people, place, and the planet.
“Our goal with S3 is to empower Gulf Coast youth to become the next generation of environmental leaders,” Dr. Gisewhite said. “By engaging students in hands-on, place-based exploration of their own coastal ecosystems, we’re helping them connect science learning to real community challenges.”
She said these opportunities allow students to build both knowledge and the civic agency needed to create a more resilient and sustainable future. Furthermore, each lesson and experience mirror the College and Career Readiness Standards set by the State of Mississippi Board of Education.
This project is supported by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
