15 Jul Middle School Students Learn on the MCC-Business and Technology Campus
Twenty-five local middle school students got to spend time on the MCC-Business and Technology campus to learn more about the KCP&L Linemen program and to show how science is applied in the real world. The hands on learning experience was part of the Get Into Energy Camp designed to keep students interested in science and math, and ultimately, careers in energy.
Driven by a need for more job-ready candidates in power and energy fields, KCP&L, the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s School of Computing and Engineering (SCE), and the KC STEM Alliance teamed up to offer a three-day Energy Camp last month. The students had the the opportunity to build motors, create electricity and design wind turbines – all in the name of energy.
Students and faculty from UMKC’s SCE worked with the students on interactive experiments to demonstrate concepts of magnetism, physics and electricity.
This is the fifth year for the Get Into Energy Camp.
“Our three-day summer camp allows students to explore the basics of creating energy, see how energy is delivered to their homes and communities, and speak with energy employees about career choices,” said Sarah Whitman, Technical Training manager for KCP&L.
Ultimately, the camp sponsors hope to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math) fields, and in turn build a robust, diverse workforce for the region.
“Businesses like KCP&L are concerned about the growing shortage of STEM professionals. They understand the importance of investing resources into future leaders, and that’s exactly what the “Get Into Energy” camp is all about,” said Laura Loyacono, director of the KC STEM Alliance.
