Girls learn to fly planes

Select middle school girls from throughout the state will attend classes in aerodynamics, plastics technology and computer aided design, and then use the skills to construct a remote controlled plane. It’s all part of the STEPS Camp experience, or Science Technology and Engineering Preview Summer Day Camps at Grand Valley State University. Two sessions will run June 18-21 and June 25-28.

The program is sponsored by Grand Valley’s Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, and the Regional Math and Science Center. The goal of the STEPS program 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.

This is the 6th year Grand Valley has hosted the program; almost 400 7th grade girls have participated to date. It is anticipated 80 additional 7th grade girls will participate this summer.

STEPS is tuition-free, created in 1997 at the University of Wisconsin-Stout as part of an effort to attract more women and minorities into the field of engineering. The program targets young girls at two critical stages: as they enter 7th grade, STEPS in Michigan is hosted by Grand Valley State University, and again in 10th and 11th grades, hosted by the University of Detroit-Mercy and Oakland College.

The STEPS program was brought to Michigan by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Educational Foundation located in Dearborn. Other major sponsors are the Alcoa Foundation, Howmet Castings, located in Whitehall, and the Michigan Space Grant Consortium, (NASA).

For more information visit www.gvsu.edu/steps or contact Margo Dill at 331-2267 or Jessica Noble at 331-6260.