VALDOSTA — Samuel Clemons accomplished one of his first tasks as the new Pine Grove Middle School principal: holding the fourth STEAM Summer Institute.

During the camp’s culmination, the STEAM Summer Showcase last week, Clemons said there was an uptick in the 2019 event from years past.

It was especially important, he said, to get minority and female students involved in the camp.

“Those are two big groups where STEAM fields are lacking,” Clemons said. “We wanted to focus on making sure everybody is exposed to the STEAM field, not just a certain group.”

STEAM stands for science, technology, electronics, arts and mathematics.

The showcase exhibited several projects by the155 students and their teachers who participated in the week-long camp, which included producing honey from bees, learning to play “Lion King” songs on drums and building paper rockets.

Parents were invited to watch their kids show off their projects. Incoming fourth graders to eighth graders were allowed to take part in the camp, and it was open to not just county school students but students from nearby school systems as well.

The program was also free.

“We bring in students as young as rising fourth graders to hopefully spark that interest before they get to middle school,” said Suzanne Tanner, incoming assistant principal, who took part in planning the program. “They’ll understand what kind of opportunities they have here. Many of the students go to school at Pine Grove, but a lot of them did not.”

The most rewarding thing about running the program, Tanner said, is the exposure of STEAM activities.

“By exposing them early, it will open their eyes to opportunities that they may not have imagined for themselves,” Tanner said. “Some of them will choose STEAM careers, and some of them will not, but that exposure is critical to getting more students into that field.”

Clemons said the STEAM Summer Institute is one of several Pine Grove Middle programs that uses hands-on projects to teach state standards, especially related to the STEAM areas.

Again, any students in fourth through eighth grade can sign up for the program starting every spring semester.

Clemons said when the date is closer, the school will post information on its Facebook page. Interested parents can also sign their kids up by calling the school, (229) 219-3234.

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.