This week concludes our training at Girls Inc. We start Eureka camp on Monday, and so the past several days have consisted of last minute meetings, group work, and practicing curriculum. Wednesday we packed up all of Girls Inc into cars and trucks to be transported to Orange Coast College, the location of the camp for the next four weeks.
Seeing all of the activities and supplies for programming made camp seem even more real. Although we have been going through everything for camp the past three weeks it has always seemed so distant, but now it is finally here. I’m definitely a little nervous about Monday, as it is a total shift in routine for all of us. We have already met most of the campers at Family Fun Fest, but given that there were over 100 people that day I am sure I have forgotten some names.
A major component of Duke Engage Orange County is the development and implementation of our own curriculum having to do with STEM. This week we spent a lot of time focusing on our own projects, making sure that they are completely ready for camp. The project I am working on is focused on water power, and my partner and I are trying to make the lesson as hands-on as possible for the girls. We will have ice breakers, activities, information about women in STEM, and a chance for the girls to work in teams to build a water wheel. All of these components will hopefully allow the girls to learn about water power in a relevant, interesting, and fun way.
This week also marks our third week with the Duke Engage program, which is crazy. I feel as though I just got here and knowing that we are almost halfway done is mind blowing, and makes me value the time we have left even more.