Our recently completed 2025 Summer STEM Camp Program celebrated the eleventh year of the three-week summer learning campaign. The summer STEM Camp was the initial program of the NSSA and engaged twenty-six, rising 7th graders over two weeks in July 2014 at the Benjamin Turner School. Each day of the program included breakfast, lunch and three, 90-minute classes. The three classes delivered over the two weeks of our first STEM program included Robotics, Experimental Science, and Engineering Science. The students response to each of the three classes and their instructors was extremely positive and reassuring. Of the twenty-six students attending our first program, all but two of the initial group of students attended at least three additional NSSA programs, including the Summer Camp Program and other after-school or weekend classes before graduating from High School.
Aligned with the tremendous response of our students and their parents over the prior ten years, the NSSA summer camp program has grown to include grades two through ten, accounting for 140, 150 and 165 students attending our camp in the last three years. The
growth of our programs has also allowed the NSSA to employ current high school seniors and recent high school graduates who attended prior NSSA programs to return as Class Assistants. Over the years, our programs have produced a significant number of students who reference their experiences for encouraging pursuing STEM based college majors and now working within the STEM sector.
Strongly aligned with the NSSA mission statement, we have meaningful evidence that our commitment to providing access to enriched STEM based learning experiences makes a difference. While the NSSA is encouraged by the impact of our efforts, we remain committed and focused on providing access to meaningful learning experiences that will have a significant influence on eradicating the disparate outcomes that students from at-risk, underserved communities continue to experience. As we tremendously enjoy the “fun” experience our programs produce, we value the impact we have seen, we remain excited and committed to driving meaningful, life enhancing change, enabled by learning experiences that position and encourage our students for life success. 100% of our student
programs are made possible by the kindness and generosity of corporate and individual donors.
