News

Please note: applications for free MDUSD STEM Summer Camps for Middle School students are no longer being accepted, since the camps are full. Please consider applying next year.

The camps will be offered again this summer the weeks of June 5th-9th (GIRL Camp) and June 12-16th (BOY Camp) at Valley Valley Middle School in Pleasant Hill.

There are 60 spaces available in the Girls Camp and 45 spaces available in the Boys Camp. As of May 6th, 45 girls had signed up and 38 boys had signed up. Interested students are encouraged to apply now to take advantage of this great opportunity! In addition, three experienced (paid) coaches will be returning this summer, along with one new coach who was a president of Falcon X Robotics (the College Park team) and who is a PhD student now.  

The MDUSD STEM Summer Camps started with the GIRL Camp, based on the UC Davis curriculum for STEM and robotics, at Valley View in 2015. The one-week program served 23 girls from various MDUSD middle schools and students in surrounding areas. Since then, the GIRL Camp program has become known as the Marathon GIRL Camp Summit, where up to 60 girls from around the area come together to learn about robotics, leadership, problem-solving, and camaraderie across campuses and grade levels. While MDUSD teachers monitor students' progress, the instruction and support are provided by college students in STEM majors and by high school students with experience in STEM areas. 

To meet the interest and need shared by students, MDUSD started the STEM Camp for Boys several years ago for the week following GIRL Camp. The curriculum is slightly different, but the opportunities are the same; where boys from MDUSD and other schools participate as campers supported by assistant coaches and many high school students who participated as campers previously.  

Marathon, our community partner at the Martinez Renewable Fuels Facility, has provided funding for the camps since 2016, and continues to be a strong advocate for bringing STEM/robotics opportunities to middle and high school students around the district. 

Application links can be found in the attached flyers or here for girls and here for boys. Applications are no longer being accepted, since they are full.

Questions can be directed to Mrs. Shauna Hawes, retired Valley View teacher, at mrshawesvvms@gmail.com.