ALBERTVILLE – The University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Space Institute at Tullahoma and Alabama A&M University joined forces with the Office of Naval Research to bring Albertville students a chance of a lifetime to witness STEM in action like never before at a Farm to Sea STEM Camp held June 26-30.
Albertville middle and high school students were able to gain hands-on experience from being surrounded by cutting-edge technology, seeing rockets launched into the sky, and by witnessing the power of artificial intelligence. They learned about military STEM careers, toured local defense industry facilities, and visited the University of Tennessee Space Institute and Alabama A&M campuses.
“Industry partnerships play a pivotal role in shaping the future of STEM education for students and our education systems as a whole. These collaborations bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world applications, providing invaluable opportunities for students to experience firsthand the challenges and innovations of modern industries,” said Albertville Superintendent Todd Watkins.
“By working hand in hand with industry leaders, students gain access to cutting-edge technologies, expert mentorship, and a deeper understanding of how STEM concepts translate into meaningful careers. These partnerships inspire and empower the next generation of innovators, cultivating a diverse and skilled talent pipeline that is essential for driving progress and solving the complex challenges of our time.”
Topics covered during the camp included materials science, aerodynamics, hypersonics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and rocketry. Students attended the camp at no cost. Through the partnership, all materials for the camp were provided, which can be reused in the classroom.
The Farm to Sea Camp serves underrepresented, rural, secondary education communities in northern Alabama and southern Tennessee, as well as veterans and military families from the Redstone military community. The camp travels to schools to promote STEM educational experiences for students and to develop a diverse and skilled talent pipeline for the navy’s science and technology workforce.
“It never gets old seeing students as engaged and excited as they were during the Farm to Sea STEM Camp. The camp was a chance of a lifetime for these young minds to explore the wonders of science and technology in a hands-on way,” said Albertville Technology Coach Spring Charles. “Our students got to see into the future of STEM and envision themselves as the next generation of scientists and engineers.”
The camp is currently supported by Lockheed Martin, Battelle, The Mitre Corporation, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, and the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office.
Albertville students gained some hands-on STEM experiences recently as part of a camp held this summer at Albertville High School. Pictured is a bottle rocket engineered by one of the students at the camp.
