HCC STEM Summer Camp blasts off

By HCC Public Relations

Jul 15, 2015

Three, two, one – lift off. Students in the Houston Community College STEM Summer Camp have rocketed into the world of science. They heard from NASA Engineer Jerry Woodfill who showed students how he used STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) during the Apollo 13 Mission to bring the astronauts safely back to earth. It earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Nixon. 

“The knowledge the students are getting here at the STEM camp and later in their college studies will allow them to understand the process and ability of STEM,” Woodfill said. “They will be able to move beyond school and make a contribution through the principles and capabilities of knowing how to solve things.”

Students also visited various science labs where they witnessed a range of experiments from a pig dissection to blood analysis. They learned all about anatomy, biology, blood typing, fingerprinting, and forensic science. During the pig dissection, students worked like real Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) in search of the cause of death, while simultaneously learning all about pig and human anatomy. The interactive labs allowed them to grasp on how valuable working together to solve problems is in STEM fields as well as other aspects of life.

“Teamwork is essential in your work and life,” Woodfill said. “My initial role with NASA was small. Even small roles that are part of a larger team can have huge results.” 

STEM Summer Camp participant Isabella Garza dreams of having a career at NASA and soaked up Woodfill’s advice.

“I learned even the littlest thing can be a help big time or even change everything,” she said. 

Woodfill urged students like Garza to keep learning and gaining experience as they advance. The interest in a certain career may be sparked at the HCC STEM Summer Camp, but a lot more work and fun await these future STEM students.

Check back on hccs.edu to find out infrormation on how to register for the next HCC STEM Summer Camp contact Athena Walker at athena.walker@hccs.edu.