Up, Up and Away

For the second year in a row, 80 girls from all over the state designed, built and flew radio-controlled airplanes at Grand Valley as part of a summer camp aimed at increasing interest in science and engineering among girls.

The Regional Math and Science Center and the Padnos School of Engineering, in conjunction with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Educational Foundation, hosted the STEPS (Science Technology and Engineering Preview Summer) camp in two sessions, June 22-26 and June 29-July 3.

The STEPS program is a one-week introduction to the world of technology and engineering for girls entering the 7th grade. The purpose of the camp is to introduce young women to the opportunities for technical careers early enough to influence their choices of math, science and technical courses in middle school and high school.

STEPS provides an opportunity for girls to learn more about what engineers do. The workshops are taught by instructors with a background in engineering, technology and science. Activities include designing, manufacturing and flying a radio-controlled airplane.

STEPS is a tuition-free, technology-based summer camp for girls. It was created in 1997 at the University of Wisconsin-Stout as part of an effort to attract more woman and minorities into the field of engineering early in their academic pursuits. The program targets young people at two critical stages, as they enter 7th grade and then again in 10th and 11th grades.