By: Isaiah Showell, Follow South Jersey Multimedia Journalist/’What’s Good’ Host
BRIDGETON, N.J. — Earlier this week, the Alms Center is hosting the Little Sparks Technology Camp once again. The camp aims to show local youth the best parts of the STEM field and expand their educational horizons.
The camp will run from July 26 to July 30. With so many students struggling to adapt to a virtual learning environment that’s been necessary due to COVID-19, programs such as the Little Sparks Technology Camp will help local youth learn new things while having some fun in the process.
“This is the fourth year of the Little Sparks Technology Camp we’ve been running here in Bridgeton, New Jersey,” Rich Nichols, the executive director of the United Advocacy Group, said. “We have promoted expanding academic horizons throughout this summer. We feel like, especially this year, school has been so challenging and there has definitely been learning loss — here’s an opportunity for kids to do something different, get out of the school classroom, and get into our classroom.”
During the camp, students are learning about a wide range of topics that range — including how to tell the difference between clean and dirty water. Zach Nickerson, a conservation coordinator from the American Littoral Society, was providing the instruction for this particular lesson.
Volunteers work the camp to ensure that all of the classes, games, and activities go smoothly, and they also help coordinate lunch periods.
“What I love about volunteering is seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces, being part of a program, making them happy, being able to make experiments with them, and most importantly, I know this brings our community together. That’s what matters the most,” Smirna Hernandez, an Americorps Volunteer, said.
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