Twenty-five local middle school students will spend a few days this summer building motors, creating electricity and designing wind turbines – all in the name of energy.
Driven by a need for more job-ready candidates in power and energy fields, KCP&L, the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Computing and Engineering (SCE), and the KC STEM Alliance have teamed up to offer a three-day Energy Camp. The camp will run June 17-19 at KC – EZ, the Kansas City Engineering Zone on the UMKC campus at 4825 Troost Ave. It is designed to keep local students interested in science and math, and ultimately, careers in energy.
Students and faculty from SCE will work with the younger students on interactive experiments that demonstrate the concepts of magnetism, physics and electricity. In addition, KCP&L employees will conduct field trips to a local substation and the Business & Technology College Lineworker Program to show how science is applied in the real world.
This is the fifth year for the Get Into Energy Camp and organizers are excited to introduce more students to the experience.
“Our three-day summer camp allows students to explore the basics of creating energy, see how energy is delivered to their homes and communities, and speak with energy employees about career choices,” said Sarah Whitman, Technical Training manager for KCP&L.
Ultimately, the camp sponsors hope to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields, and in turn build a robust, diverse workforce for the region.
“Our UMKC School of Computing and Engineering is committed to being a valued resource for Kansas City and in particular to its urban students,” said SCE Dean Kevin Truman. “Exposing urban students to STEM opportunities, careers and challenges on a regular basis is key to preparing them to pursue STEM degrees and jobs. We know that with support and resources, from groups such as the KC STEM Alliance, educational institutions such as UMKC and corporations like KCP&L, we can make a difference in the lives of many students and ultimately help produce a diverse workforce for Kansas City’s STEM based companies.”
“Businesses like KCP&L are concerned about the growing shortage of STEM professionals. They understand the importance of investing resources into future leaders, and that’s exactly what the “Get Into Energy” camp is all about,” said Laura Loyacono, director of the KC STEM Alliance.