Summer programs for girls and STEAM

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math- & yes, I included Art into STEM, because they all deal with discovery and analysis and I think that's where Art belongs!)  is big in schools right now. It's all the rage because statistically, Americans are behind the world in our scientific understanding as a culture, which is a real shame to me and one pitfall I think we have avoided in our homeschooling journey.  The advantage to this American issue is if you have STEAM powered girl life is sweet.

My 14 had no idea what she wanted to do, but as the mother a math accomplished female whose naturally scientifically inclined, I made the bold declaration that until she decides what she was going to do with her life, she would train to be an engineer.  Not a bad fall back career :)

Here's some of the science camps she has attended. I am including links as I know them, but I find that schools do not always reuse the urls form year to year, so search the college's home page for info on these programs if the url gets broken-

Bits and Bytes , University of Maryland Baltimore College, WIT introduction program. Cost: free, essay application required
  My daughter loved this program! BUT It was here she made the decision here that what she really wanted to do with her future life was forensic science.  Sometimes it takes a great program to show you what you're missing.  Despite being incredibly impressed with the WIT program, the school's location and campus, UMBC will not be her future because they don't offer her intended major. None-the-less, I recommend Bytes and BITS highly for any girl whose might remotely consider STEM  or whose interested in exploring computer programming as a major.  My daughter's favorite part was staying in the WIT dorms and learning more about the college and majors from the students themselves.

HOBY- at JMU.Cost: $150 (2012), Nominated, no essay
 This is a leadership development weekend program and not specific to any major.   One tenth grader from each high school is allowed to be nominated and sent on a representative.  My dd enjoyed the camp, which included engineering tasks, leadership team building activities and a wonderful tour of the James Madison University campus. 

Sweet Briar's engineering camp- Sweet Briar College , paid for camp, $500, 2013
This camp included a 1 week session taught by the college professors on engineering. My daughter loved their real world, engineering connections, getting to stay in the dorms and being a part of a well chosen team of female engineers.  Campers receive a college credit for  fulfilling the camp's final project.

C-Tech2- Va Tech's junior and senior summer engineering program, $800- 2013, 2 weeks, application & essay required
This is the one camp my daughter did not do. She was waitlisted and didn't make it off. Oh, well. It looks like a great camp. She met several girls who participated in the Bits and Bytes camp that attended the C-tech2 camp, and they raved about it.

Jump Start Forensics Program- University of Maryland- free, essay application
My dd will be be attending this in two weeks, so we'll let you know if it's worth our time ;)  It is a day camp, so having a place to stay near the DC/Baltimore area is essential.

Here's a short list of other programs that may interest you if you're looking for STEM opportunities-
http://wtp.mit.edu/  -MIT's weekend girls engineering program

https://www.engineeringedu.com/shop/engineering-camps/
state by state guide to Girl's engineering programs.  Not all of them are listed, but certainly worth the time to investigate.

http://vasts.spacegrant.org/about/dates
A free online college course worth 3 college Science credits if you fulfill it. (To my knowledge, they accept all applications!) Essay and application required. A Dec- May program with summer internship possible.

To skip or not to skip a grade?

Question: "Should I skip my fourth grader?" 

 I have a fourth grader who is capable of doing school work above her level. 

 I am considering having her skip 5th grade.  My question is:  Do I need to some 

sort of documentation that she skipped a grade or a test to prove that she can

 do 6th grade work?

If you wanted to skip a grade, you would take the grade test at 

the end of the year that you were attempting to pass your child 

out of. So if they are in 3rd grade, but will be in 5th grade

 next year, they need to take the 4th grade test at the end of 

this year. Thus, passing out of 4th grade will put your child 

in 5th grade the next year. 
  And no, noone notices at the office where you turn stuff in.

 Don't make a big deal out of it.  Don't do two test, one from

 each year, just do the one test and turn in those results.  

Now, I agree with the last person who piped up about skipping.

 In public school, it's important because your child will only

 be able to take certain classes that help challenge them or

 be available for courses reserved for certain tracks if they

 are in certain grades, but in homeschooling we don't have that!  
 There are pros and cons associated with skipping that should 

be considered-

Pro- your child is eligible for summer programs reserved for 

certain grades. Because the world moves on ps grades, your 

child will have access to more advanced learning that meets

 their level sooner.
Con- that advantage ends at 15. When they get older, the 

coolest and best program are reserved by age because of 

liability and insurance and will only take 16 year olds or 

older. Now you could back your child up a year and say they

 were a junior in their senior year, but if they truly had 

a senior year, they will be in college, not going to camps.

 So you've missed all the best programs and the chance for 

your child to explore meaningful avenues for growth in their

 prospective fields.  
 
Con- internships-I don't know how these brilliant 14 and 

15yr olds I hear on the tv and radio get into their

 internships at major colleges and scientific labs because

 here on the peninsula, you're 16 or not allowed on the

 premisses in an internship capacity. :( I've had at 

least three different professionals willing and eager

 to mentor my child, but she was not old at any of the 

facilities to be allowed to intern! That's just the way 

it is. VLM will take some 15 year olds, but they don't 

have the great, cool jobs, they have the "stand here and

 talk to children" internships, which can be fun but not

 what you're budding herpetologist really wanted to do 

at the museum.
Pro- none.

Pro- your child is eligible for TNCC in their junior year

 of highschool. "13 and a junior, Welcome to campus!" 
Con- (This one isn't so much a "con" as a warning.) They're

 a smart cookie, but are they ready for the rigor of 

college classes? Maybe. But those grades are permanent.

 Best case scenario, they don't do well & you figure it

 out before the "add/drop" date and are out money, but not

 have not tarnished your child's chance at the future 

college of their choice by getting bad grades a cc!  

Pro- (and a light one at that) "everybody" knows how smart

 little Susy is because she got skipped. 
Con- unfortunately, ppl who don't like hsing anyway will

 say you did it without cause, and not many hsers care 

either way. 

 I know about these pros and cons because my dd skipped 

7th grade. She's now a 15 your old junior who just made 

the decision to do a 5 year highschool. (She'll be a senior

 twice, though it hardly matters what we call this weird,

 interim year.)  The reasons that seemed compelling in 

the beginning have all faded away now. And she came to 

the long, thought out conclusion that she didn't want to

 move away to college  next year to pursue her goal of

 becoming a forensic scientist. She wants to be at home 

a little longer and wants to take advantage of some 

camps that she didn't apply for this year, and one that

 wait-listed her- but encouraged her to try next year. 

She'll take a few classes this coming fall at TNCC, and

 take all her courses at TNCC her final senior year. She

 was eligible this year for classes there as a junior and

 asked not to take them yet.
And that's the other side of this beautiful coin, if 

you skip and find skipping isn't what you or she wants

 to do later, then "unskip" :) Take all the time you need!

 Skip, don't skip. Somehow it all kinda turns out the same :)
Good luck figuring out what you want to do, 
Brandy