STEM-X 2024 Summer Camp registration is now open! Please see courses and descriptions below.
Welcome to the Poudre School District STEM-X page!
ABOUT STEM-X
We believe STEM-X is an opportunity for students to foster confidence, competence, and a sense of belonging in STEM fields. While they can feel intimidating or exclusive, we know STEM fields are expansive, and can be for everyone when intentionally made accessible. We want each of our students to feel confident that they can be valuable contributors to whatever discipline they pursue.
Since its inception, STEM-X (formerly “STEM Institutes”) has provided high quality summer programming to thousands of inspired learners. Over the years, STEM-X evolved to include the Arts, Theatre, and Music, hence the “X” in “STEM-X”. It is a new way to engage our talented learners holistically by exploring a broad scope of their aptitudes, interests, and abilities. In our workshops and beyond, it is the intersection of “STEM” and “X” that reveals dimensions in humanity, enriches the quality of life, and fuels the creativity required to make real world advances in STEM.
CAMP INFORMATION
We are SO pumped for STEM-X 2024 Summer Camp!
Registration is now open. Please click on the link above or go to olr.psdschools.org.
Please Contact Kelby Benedict for questions - kbenedic@psdschools.org
STEM-X Frequently Asked Questions:
When and where will STEM-X be this summer? Camp will be at Poudre High School from Monday, June 3rd - Friday, June 7th, 2024 for students entering grades 1 through 6.
Poudre High School:
June 3 - 7
What are the hours of camp?
Early Elementary & Elementary Daily Schedule:
AM - 8:30 am-11:30 am
Lunch - 11:30 am-12:00 pm
PM - 12:00 pm-3:00 pm
How much does STEM-X Cost?
Early Elementary & Elementary Classes
$150.00/class per week
$300.00 for a morning & afternoon class (ie a Full Day) per week
How do we pay for STEM-X? After you register in parentvue, you will receive an email directing you to SchoolPay to purchase the session(s) in which your camper has their class(es). Your camper is not enrolled until you have purchased their STEM-X 2024 Summer Camp Session.
Is there financial assistance for STEM-X? Yes. In order for STEM-X tuition to be waived, you must:
1. Fill out the Free & Reduced Meal Benefits application for your student (if you already completed the form for the 2022-2023 school year, you do not need to complete it again. AND
2. Submit the permission to share form in ParentVUE AND
3. Officially register online for STEM-X classes (Registration is due to open in early April.)
4. Once you receive a confirmation email, go to SchoolPay to complete the registration process. Your total at checkout will be $0
Please see the PSD Student Fees and Charges page for more information (under “Qualifying Students May Apply to Have Fees/Charges Waived”). If you need help with applying for Free & Reduced Meal Benefits, please contact PSDs Child Nutrition office, nutrition@psdschools.org.
Does STEM-X only offer STEM classes? STEM-X offers a range of STEM-focused classes, along with multidisciplinary classes that include the arts, literature, etc. See our class descriptions below.
Are the classes the same as last year? Every year, there are a broad range of classes offered on a wide variety of topics. There will be some classes that were offered last year, along with new opportunities for learning.
How do we know what our camper is learning? Each class showcases their work on Friday for a half hour before both the morning and afternoon pick up times. We strongly encourage camper's adults to come and see what they have been up to all week. Our campers love to show off what they have learned!
Does STEM-X have field trips? Sometimes! If a class has a field trip, this is included in the class description. Our field trips last year ranged from the Gardens on Spring Creek to Fort Fun (for research, of course) to The Northern Colorado Regional Airport and more!
How do I register my camper? We have an online registration system that OPENS APRIL 10TH AT 9AM. You will be able to access the online registration through this website. We will have a big REGISTER HERE button at the top of the page.
My camper doesn't go to school in Poudre School District, can they still participate? STEM-X is not exclusive to Poudre School District students, we welcome students from other school districts, states, and even countries. However if your student does not attend school in Poudre School District, you will need assistance with registration once it opens. Please reach out to our staff when registration opens via the Contact Form at the bottom of this page.
Is my camper guaranteed a spot when we register? Enrollment in STEM-X classes is NOT guaranteed. We pride ourselves on small class sizes. Therefore, enrollment in our classes is dependent on whether there are seats available in the class. We highly recommend you sign up your camper as early as possible! We also provide the opportunity for you to select back-up class choices when you fill out the online registration.
Is lunch provided? Even for half day students? Yes and yes! During the registration process, you will indicate whether or not your camper would like lunch provided. Make sure to let us know their dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten-free, lactose-free, vegetarian, etc.) The lunches are provided by the Poudre School District Child Nutrition Team.
Do campers get t-shirts? Yes! Campers will received a t-shirt designed by a PSD high school student.
What if my camper has medical needs or has a medical emergency during camp? We have a full time nurse on staff for STEM-X. The nurse will be able to distribute medication for your child. Please fill out the Authorizationand Release Form for administering medicine to student at school or school sponsored activity
2024 Summer STEM-X Class Registration will open April 10th
2024 EARLY ELEMENTARY CLASSES (Entering Grades 1-3)
POUDRE HIGH SCHOOL, JUNE 3-7
Animal Adventures - Are you interested in animals? Do you enjoy being creative and thinking critically? This week-long session at STEM-X will incorporate the fascinating world of animals through experiments, art, and discovery! You will learn about animal defense mechanisms, habitats, adaptations and more.
Art & Nature! - Join us for a week where artistic creativity and nature collide! While learning about color, form and texture, students will create a unique project each day that reflects the nature surrounding us. Projects will include sculpting your favorite animal, scenic paint along, crafting bird feeders, and more!
Art from the HeART - Doing different projects exploring the water cycle, Auroras, how light changes in the atmosphere, and making little telescopes, also a book that we will read all week about the atmosphere.
Chemistry 101 - Intro in the world of chemistry and how chemical reactions work and the concept of atoms.
Creative Kids - In this class, kids will be able to use their creative side to complete art work with new themes each day. Kids can look forward to incorporating beads, paper creations, drawings and much more into their projects.
Exploring Space and The World Around Us! - Doing different projects exploring the water cycle, Auroras, how light changes in the atmosphere, and making little telescopes, also a book that we will read all week about the atmosphere
Little Leo's Lessons (Leonardo da Vinci) - Each day will showcase a different aspect of da Vinci's talent and innovation. Topics included but not limited to air and machines, botany, the science of art, secret codes & cryptography, and spatial relation.
Robotics & Engineering - Introduction to Robotics: Students will do a deep dive into robotics and human prosthetics and the crossovers between them. They will learn how robotics can directly and indirectly affect their lives today and over the next decade.
ScratchJr Coding - Students will learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves through the world of computer programming. This class offers an unplugged programming experience where students experiment using tools with the basics of coding such as Legos to create mini robots and movement cards. Students will then utilize Sphero Indi Kits to manipulate and engage learning robots using color tiles. Finally, students will be introduced to ScratchJr, a program children to learn to solve problems, design projects, and express themselves creatively on the computer. The purpose of the class is to transform the way kids learn with a fun, comprehensive approach to STEAM, computer science lessons, and hands-on activities.
Young Eco-Artists - Students will discover how litter negatively affects animals, specifically leatherback sea turtles. Combining science and art, students will study and illustrate the stages of the leatherback sea turtle’s life cycle. We will also learn about artist Haseltine Pozzi and create our own anti-littering art.
2024 ELEMENTARY CLASSES (Entering Grades 4-6)
POUDRE HIGH SCHOOL, JUNE 3 - 7
Amazing Animal Adaptations - Through hands-on activities, experiments, and discussions, students will explore how different organisms vary in appearance and function due to inherited information and environmental influences. Furthermore, they will learn how variations within a species can provide advantages for survival and reproduction.
Books and STEM - Are you inspired by books you’ve read? Do you enjoy thinking outside of the box? This week-long session at STEM-X will incorporate STEM activities inspired by some popular picture books, such as “If I Built a Car” by Chris Van Dusen, “What do you do with a Problem?” by Kobi Yamada, “Terrific” by Jon Agee, “Twenty-one Elephants” by Phil Bildner, and MORE! Throughout the week you will be an inventor, scientist, artist, engineer, architect and MORE!
Code Your Own Adventure - Do you love coding, being creative, stories and adventure? In Code Your Own Adventure you will be able to combine your love of coding with your creativity to design amazing coding projects. We will use the Scratch programming language developed by MIT and Sphero robotics to practice coding skills such as design, testing, debugging, events, sequences, loops, conditionals and more. Even if you are new to coding you are welcome in this class. Join us for a fun-filled week of adventure!
Design Thinking with Stop Motion Animation - Students will learn animation vocabulary, concepts, storyboarding, and design thinking as they plan and work individually or collaboratively to create a short stop-motion animated film. Students will make a sketchbook, design characters and learn the components of a good story.
Ecology Lesson - This class would consider how living and nonliving things interact within an ecosystem. I would like for my kids to walk across the street to Roger's Park and make observations.
Flight Simulator - Have you ever dreamed of being at the controls of your own airplane, soaring like a bird, flying an airplane right in your own backyard in Northern Colorado? If you have, then STEM-X Flight Simulator Class is definitely for you! Students will learn to fly a simulated Cessna 172 out of the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) focusing on take-offs, landings, and gradually working up to flying cross-country flights to other airports in the area. Once basic mastery of single-engine aircraft is achieved, students may choose to try flying more advanced, technical aircraft such as jet-powered aircraft. This fast moving, challenging, experiential class goes beyond just the basics of flying and gives students a “hands-on” training experience the same way professional pilots are trained in today’s dynamic aviation industry. A field trip to the local airport is planned.
Games Outside The Box - Students will "think outside the box" while playing a variety of games. Students can look forward to playing board games, card games, putting together puzzles, and even participating in our own "STEM-X Escape Room". Come ready to play and create "games outside the box".
Circuits, Computers and Spheros! - Students will learn about the components of a computer with hands-on disassembly, make artwork with circuits that light up with LEDs and copper foil, learn about binary and how it makes computers work, and code Sphero robots to race around an obstacle course!
Let's Go to Korea! - Let’s go to Korea by learning about the culture, play fun Korean games, and learn how to make Korean sushi called BiBimBop!
Origami Science - Students will learn how a piece of paper can transform into different shapes, creatures and objects and explore various scientific and mathematical questions such as how many times can a piece of paper be folded or how can a paper airplane fly the farthest. They will also learn some Japanese culture, language and art elements in this class.
Photography Extravaganza! - Have you ever wanted to know what all those buttons on the fancy DSLR camera are for? Do you want to learn how to take a photograph without a camera? If you answered yes to any of these questions, The Photography Extravaganza class is for you! In this class you will learn how to use a DSLR camera. We will be doing photo labs that include splash photography, light painting, and portrait photography. Students will also alter photographs to add a hands-on experience to their digital photos. Cameras will be provided by the instructor.
Retro Game Design using Scratch - Retro Game Design course is a fun and interactive way for kids to learn about game design using Scratch programming language. Scratch is a free and user-friendly visual programming language that enables kids to create their own interactive stories, animations, and games. This course is designed for beginners who have little or no prior experience in programming.
The Demos of Science - One of my classes in college had a project called '100 demos in 100 minutes' or something like that. I would make it similar to this. I would show students several demos that I have found on the internet or come up with, teach the science behind it in ways they can understand. Then, we would have the materials for the students to make the demos themselves. Then, we would do a little presentation where every student would share which demo they chose and present to the class.
Writing Your Own Story with Science Fiction - Science Fiction is a great way to include the STEM skills you love into a story. Learn how robots can talk, how people can live in space, how medicine can save the world, or whatever else comes to mind. Writing a story using Science Fiction is a great way to put your imagination to work. You write the story!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES
ADULT VOLUNTEER
Are you a parent/adult interested in volunteering for Summer 2024 STEM-X Camp? We have several opportunities to get involved!
STEM-X Needs:
- Field Trip Drivers
- Field Trip Chaperones
- Lunch Helpers
- Topic Experts
To become a parent volunteer, Poudre School District requires the following:
- All volunteers, age 18 and older, must register with Poudre School District. Background checks are required for each volunteer to ensure the safety of our students. Read PSD’s Volunteer Info and complete the PSD Volunteer Registration.
- Complete the STEM-X Parent/Adult Volunteer Form
- Will you be driving for a field trip? Complete the Field Trip Volunteer Driver Application Form.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DELTA FORCE VOLUNTEER
Delta Force is a select group of high school and college students whose mission is to help create STEM opportunities for the next generation. Delta Force volunteers see themselves as a Force for Change.
Delta Force volunteers will receive cool clothing, lunch daily, and potential work-based learning credit.
If you have questions, please email Kelby Benedict at kbenedic@psdschools.org.
