STEPS camp goes green

Middle school girls from all over West Michigan will see what it takes to become an engineer at the Science Technology and Engineering Preview Summer Day Camp (STEPS), hosted by Grand Valley State University for the 7th year. Two camp sessions will be held, June 16-19 and June 23- 26.

Throughout the week-long camp, girls will learn how to construct their own airplanes using jigs and engineering principles. This year, they will move away from making gas powered nitro-fueled engines and move to flying with the latest technology in electric radio-controlled flight.

The campers will be introduced to computer-aided design (CAD), CNC milling, and also visit Howmet Castings, an Alcoa business in Whitehall Mich., to participate in plant tours and view laboratory operations. They will learn about the aerodynamics of flight and depart from the Gerald R. Ford International Airport for a flight in a small airplane.

Campers will fly their airplanes at the Warped Wings Fly Field located at the corner of Alger and 56th Avenue in Allendale, Mich. The Howmet Casting/Alcoa Foundation 2008 Fly Nights are scheduled for June 19 and June 26, from 6- 8:30 p.m. Media are encouraged to attend.

STEPS Camps are held in the Kennedy Hall of Engineering on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. The camp is sponsored by the Esther and Seymour Padnos College of Engineering and Computing, the Padnos School of Engineering, and the Regional Math and Science Center at Grand Valley. 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. Nearly 500 7th grade girls have participated to date. It is anticipated 80 additional 7th grade girls will come to camp 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: STEPS in Michigan, as girls enter 7th grade, is hosted by Grand Valley State University; and again in 10th and 11th grades, hosted by the University of Detroit-Mercy and Oakland University.

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

A complete schedule of camp events is available upon request. For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/steps or contact Margo Dill at 331-2267 or Jessica Noble at 331-6260.