Girls Adventures in STEM Summer Camp

TYO’s Girls Adventures in STEM Summer Camp is a truly unique approach to helping girls in grades 5-8 understand a wide range of STEM topics and principles.  Through bike rides, immersive hikes and environmental education and exploration the girls discuss, test, and learn about their natural world. While they are learning through these fun games and activities, they are connecting their observations to an understanding of STEM concepts.  This hands-on fun outdoor nature camp teaches girls a variety of ideas that at first seem difficult to grasp but upon completion of bike rides, hikes, experiments and games are readily understood and applicable to school-based learning.

In 2019, 2020 and 2021 this camp was made possible through a grant from the Northern Virginia Community Foundation’s Business Women’s Giving Circle. Throughout these grant cycles, TYO created a multi-week curriculum and a variety of activities and then condensed this curriculum into a week long summer camp that also provides a traditional summer camp experience for local girls. Girls leave from the camp with new outdoor experiences, friends and confidence in their ability to grasp, discuss and apply STEM concepts in their daily lives.

In 2022, this camp is possible through a grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. Interested in attending? Please email julie@trailsforyouth.org to inquire about availability.  Please note, girls in grades 5-8 attending public school in Springfield, VA have priority registration.

93% of the girls surveyed said using a bicycle to teach STEM helped them to understand the ideas and concepts.