STEM IMPACT
Transforming Youth Through Technology & Innovation
St. Clair College's STEM Robotics Summer Camp brought creativity and technology together for an exciting hands-on learning experience, making STEM education accessible to equity-deserving youth.
Program Overview
St. Clair College's STEM Robotics Summer Camp, supported by a grant from the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), brought creativity and technology together for an exciting and hands-on learning experience. In partnership with OVIN, the St. Clair College Research and Innovation team introduced equity-deserving youth in Windsor-Essex to LEGO robotics, coding, and the world of technology in an engaging and accessible way.
Through local partnership organizations, the camp reached underrepresented communities, offering a free program complete with transportation, meals, fun camp activities, and all necessary tools like LEGO Spike Prime Robot kits. The camp sparked curiosity about autonomous and electric vehicle technologies through playful, hands-on activities, helping participants build robots while developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills. By combining fun with learning, it encouraged campers to imagine new possibilities for their futures.
Impact By Numbers
Program Details
Target Participants
Grades 5-12 students from Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, and Lambton regions, with a focus on equity-deserving groups.
Program Goal
To foster early STEM engagement and workforce readiness through hands-on learning and industry collaboration.
Our Partners
Community Organizations
- WEST of Windsor
- LaSalle Hangout for Youth
- Black Boys Code
- Sandwich Teen Action Group
- Coalition for Justice Unity Equity
Industry & Educational Partners
- FIRST Robotics Canada
- CentreLine Windsor
- ACCESS Lambton Kent District School Board
- Invest WindsorEssex
Research & Impact
St. Clair College conducted research during the camp as part of an environmental scan to evaluate its impact and explore ways to refine the program. Qualitative interviews and observations were carried out with the STEM Camp teachers and throughout the camp experience.
Key Findings
- Sparked enthusiasm and generated strong emotional responses among campers
- Enhanced teaching strategies focused on team-based learning
- Developed individual problem-solving approaches
- Created positive learning outcomes
Future Developments
- Development of online curriculum for broader accessibility
- Enhanced mathematics and science curriculum design
- More impactful and inclusive program iterations
- Continued community engagement
Looking Forward
The learning did not end with the camp as participants took kits back to their community organizations, allowing others to benefit from the knowledge they gained. St. Clair College is also developing an online version of the camp's curriculum, making this experience accessible to even more youth.