Contributed article
SAFFORD — EAC Discovery Park hosted the 2024 Eastern Arizona Science Initiative’s sixth- through ninth-grade Summer Science Camp.
The annual STEM camp was held June 10-12 with 51 students from school districts throughout Eastern Arizona.
The camp’s theme was Time Traveling Detectives, which set the stage for a captivating journey through time. Participants delved into a dozen activities that challenged them to think like detectives, unraveling mysteries from different eras.
Activities included:
Futuristic AI-designed T-shirts — The adventure began with a creative twist. Using artificial intelligence (AI), students personalized their own camp T-shirts. Dr. Nathan Cline, EAC Biology professor, and Heather Dillman from Fort Thomas High School, guided the students in designing images that reflected their interests. Paula McBride, EAC Adjunct Instructor, then demonstrated the chemical transfer process to bring these digital designs to life on fabric.
Cavemen and Prehistoric Animals — Cameron Mower, EAC Biology professor, led an engaging session on how early researchers interpreted prehistoric animals. Imagine the early sketches and stories they crafted to understand the creatures around them.
Boom! Chemistry is Fun — Dr. Phil McBride, EAC senior dean and Chemistry instructor, turned up the excitement with chemical experiments. Students made fire and even shot nerf projectiles, learning firsthand about the power of chemistry.
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Archaeology Adventures — EAC Anatomy and Physiology Professor Tammy Gillespie introduced “The Land Before Time.” Armed with understanding archaeology techniques, campers dug for treasures in the Discovery Park Archaeology Pit, unearthing secrets from the past.
DNA Extraction — Ethan McBride, EAC Biology professor, guided students in extracting and identifying DNA from strawberries. They marveled at the uniqueness of genetic material — a code that defines us all.
Women in Manufacturing and Robotics — Mikayla Cope, Safford Middle School Robotics instructor, celebrated the vital role women played in manufacturing during World War II and how coding and robotics have become an important part of today’s manufacturing.
Felonious Identifications — Officer Braden McBride from the Arizona Department of Public Safety led a lesson on historical crime-solving. Evidence, deduction, and intrigue—just like real detectives.
Money Matters — Cindy Pearson, from the University of Arizona Graham County Extension Office taught students about finances. Hard cash society covered money management, taxes, and budgeting; all essential life skills.
Bullseye Archery Competition — Paul Anger, director of EAC Discovery Park, shared the physics of archery and Redgy Mata emerged as the camp’s top archer, hitting three bullseyes with a perfect score of 15 out of 15.
As the camp drew to a close, participants enjoyed a well-deserved pizza party with veggies and soda.
They also explored EASI’s giant StarLab Planetarium, where they explored the history of Moon exploration, and then Nathan Cline added a thrilling touch by showcasing native animals —tarantulas, turtles, king snakes and gopher snakes — for students to see, learn from and even touch.
Anger, who also chairs the Eastern Arizona Science Initiative and served as camp director, expressed heartfelt gratitude to those who made the camp possible. The United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties $5,000 grant fueled the STEM experiences. Freeport-McMoRan’s employee’s generous payroll program also contributed, Safford Schools provided nourishing meals, and Eastern Arizona College’s Discovery Park served as the perfect backdrop for this educational adventure.
All camp participants received personalized AI designed T-shirts, backpacks, prizes, and take-home activities.
For more information on the EAC Discovery Park or the Eastern Arizona Science Initiative activities, call 928-428-6260 or, email discoverypark@eac.edu, or go to www.eac.edu/discoverypark.
