You may have heard of STEM, but what does it mean? It’s an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math.
STEM fields are growing at an incredible pace. “Between 2005 and 2015, STEM employment grew by nearly 25%—over five times more than non-STEM employment over the same period. Throughout the 2020s, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects more than 1 million STEM jobs will have been added, representing nearly 11% growth compared to less than 8% for all other industries.” STEM college majors earn more money, even if they don’t work in a STEM occupation.
The median earnings for those who have a STEM college major are $81,011, compared with $60,828 for other college majors.
How can we prepare our children for these fast-changing, higher-pay jobs of the future? Immerse them in STEM learning, of course. How do you do this? One incredibly effective way is to enroll them in a science camp—especially an outdoor education program that focuses on hands-on learning, like Pali Institute.
It’s no wonder that science learning and science enhancements are popular with parents and teachers. Pali offers three-, four-, and five-day school group science camps. Read on to learn more about the importance of STEM education and how to enroll in the best science camp in Northern California.
STEM Education in California
California is a world leader in STEM education, so it’s no surprise that there are great options to choose from when it comes to science camps for your child. In fact, in CommercialCafe.com’s 2021 rankings of the Top 10 U.S. Cities for Women Working in STEM Careers, seven of the top 10 cities were in California.
Science camps allow students to learn and prepare for future careers through “innovation, inquiry, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Through STEM education, students learn to become problem solvers, innovators, creators, and collaborators and go on to fill the critical pipeline of engineers, scientists, and innovators so essential to the future of California and the nation.”
California’s Best Outdoor Science Center Camp
Pali Institute offers an award-winning science curriculum correlated with state education guidelines, experienced instructors, and an accredited program. We are the only dual-accredited program (Association for Experiential Education and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges) in California.
We give students incredible opportunities for hands-on, in-depth science on a breathtaking mountaintop. From rocket launches to physics experiments on a zip line, students directly engage in the learning material.
Pali’s teachers have a passion for outdoor education as well as for science. Since Pali offers a customizable learning plan to meet your school’s requirements, science camp is a great addition to what your students are already learning.
Taking It a Step Further with STEAM
Now that we’re familiar with the fast-growing industry of STEM and the importance of science camps, it’s important to note that Pali actually takes outdoor, hands-on education a step further by offering STEAM lessons—which is the same thing, but with art added in.
The first and main question most people have when they hear STEAM instead of STEM is, why add art? According to the Rhode Island School of Design, “The goal is to foster the true innovation that comes with combining the mind of a scientist or technology with that of an artist or designer”.
Why is it so important for kids to have these skills, including art? There’s a 14% projected job growth in STEAM-related careers, compared to a 5-8% average.
And there aren’t nearly enough projected graduates to keep up with that. The field is only growing by .8% annually when it comes to human manpower.
We need to get kids involved and interested in STEAM areas so that we can build a future strong and able workforce.
Pali’s STEAM Curriculum
All of our science classes are correlated with grade-level state education standards for California, Arizona, and Nevada. Our high-energy, hands-on approach to instruction makes learning irresistible. Some examples include:
Getting Started at Southern California’s Best Outdoor Science Camp
Ready to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and inventors? The fully customizable Pali Institute programs fill up fast!
For the best dates, contact us now to begin the booking process. Many schools return year after year. We hope to see you soon!
