Grades: 1st – 10th Grade Students

Time: 9:30 AM – 12 Noon (unless otherwise noted). Please see dates and descriptions above.

Cost: $30.00 (+2.50 service charge) per participant, per class (unless otherwise noted).

Students have amazing imaginations.  Their ideas and willingness to design and create is truly remarkable and is what will be our future workforce.  The National STEM Academy proudly offers many programs that support learning opportunities for all ages four and over.   STEM Labs which are usually a few hours on a Saturday, and STEM Camps which are usually five consecutive days during a holiday week or Summer are very popular with families seeking STEM learning experiences for their student.

STEM Labs and Camps are interactive experiences that integrate innovative hands-on STEM disciplines.  Students of all ages learn about the Engineering Design Process through creative problem solving.  The goal-setting experiences often use scientific equipment and a variety of technology which includes robotics, virtual reality, 3D printers, flight simulators and much more.

STEM Labs and Camps also provide hands-on opportunities to create, build and learn in a relaxed environment without tests and specific benchmarks.   Students thrive in this type of classroom because there is less fear of failure and they have fun learning as they play.   Albert Einstein said, “play is the highest form of research”.   Our trained staff specifically allow students the time to think creatively, take risks, and communicate their design process.   It is often during the messiest activities that we see the students formulate the best ideas.    When your student leaves the National STEM Academy with what looks like a pile of popsicle sticks wrapped in masking tape or some sort of paper plate animal, please ask them what they learned while experimenting with this creation.

Thank you for your support as the National STEM Academy continues to provide learning opportunities that promote creativity and exploration.   Our team is sincerely grateful to all the families participating in programs located at the Museum of Aviation.

Respectfully,

Melissa

Melissa Spalding

Director of Education

Please read all information below as there will be several changes this year as we strengthen our efforts to keep all students and staff safe:

• Please send a labeled water bottle with your student.  No outside food.
• A complete copy of our Handbook, Policies, and Procedures can be found on our National STEM Academy About Page.
  • • Refund Policy: Refunds are made if cancelled up to 2 weeks prior to start date of program. Please mark your calendars for dates/times registered for.
    • Account Credit Policy:  Account credits are made at the discretion of the National STEM Academy for cancellations made within the 2 week refund window on a case by case basis.  Account credits are not guaranteed.
    • No-Show Policy:  No-Shows and those cancelled in less than 48 hours are not eligible for refunds or account credits.  It is the responsibility of the registered to remember the dates/times signed up for.

Please register early to secure your spot.  If a class is full, please add your student to the waitlist.  We will add students from the waitlist on a first-come, first-serve basis.

STEM Lab participants are expected to follow directions and be respectful and responsible for their behavior during their STEM Lab. Guardians will be alerted by a verbal report if their student(s)’ behavior has become disruptive. If disruptive behaviors continue, after all of the below steps have been taken, the student will not be allowed to continued participation in the STEM Lab.

If your student requires assistance during a STEM Lab, an aide may attend the STEM Lab with the student. Families are responsible for hiring and paying their aide. Aides must have completed ninth grade, be at least four years older than the child he/she is assisting, and may not be a family member.  Assistants 19 and older will be subject to a background check.

We utilize a 4-step behavior policy for our STEM Labs. The following steps will be used to address any camper behavioral issues:

1. Verbal Reminder: Students will be asked to stop disruptive behavior.
2. Environmental Change: Students will be removed from the area and may be asked to sit out one activity.
3. Behavior Report: A verbal account of the disruptive behavior will be given to the guardian at pick-up.
4. Send Home: A guardian will be called and asked to pick up their student immediately.
5. Removal from Camp: If the behavior is egregious enough, the National STEM Academy reserves the right to dismiss the student from our STEM Lab program for the 2023-2024 season. No refund will be issued. Any other STEM Labs that the student is registered for will be forfeited with no refund.

Disruptive behaviors are classified at the discretion of the Education Team. Ultimately, the behavior will be deemed disruptive if it negatively affects the experience of other participants or puts themselves or others in danger.

Examples of Disruptive Behavior:

• Talking while others are talking
• Repeatedly running through the Museum when asked to walk
• Refusing to participate in activities
• Throwing items
• Entering off-limits areas
• Bullying or aggravating fellow campers
• Using hurtful language
• Excluding other participants from activities
• Inappropriate touching
• Misuse of cell phone

The following will result in immediate dismissal from a STEM Lab without refund: Physical violence: hitting, kicking, punching, biting, or inappropriate touching, inappropriate language: cursing, name-calling, derogatory remarks, or hate speech.