The Office of Outreach and Recruiting in New Mexico State University’s College of Engineering will host the NM PREP Middle School Academy and NM PREP High School Academy this summer at the Las Cruces campus. The program is a hands-on, engineering summer program, which NMSU has hosted for more than eight years.
NM PREP is for middle school students entering sixth through eighth grades and high school students entering ninth through 12th grades. Applications are due April 15. For more information and to register visit https://engroutreach.nmsu.edu/aggie-stem-connection/.
“This summer, we are excited to once again provide this wonderful program to students,” said Clara Raley, STEM program manager. “NM PREP Academy has been designed to spark student interest in STEM, specifically in engineering, by offering hands-on activities that simulate real-world engineering experiences. We are hosting three camps this year, including a high school academy in which students can experience current research being conducted at NMSU as well as learn about semiconductors and 3D manufacturing.”
NM PREP High School Academy will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 17-21 on the NMSU Las Cruces campus and is open to any high school student. Students will explore the fields of engineering and introductory engineering concepts through real-world projects, explore semiconductors and learn how to 3D print.
NM PREP Middle School Academy will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 10-14 on the NMSU Las Cruces campus and is open to any middle school student. Students will explore real-world engineering problems through inquiry and hands-on learning.
NM PREP Mission Space will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 9-12 on the NMSU Las Cruces campus and is open to middle school students who have previously participated in PREP or another STEM program. Students will apply critical thinking and engineering to plan a successful space mission, including rocketry and robotics.
There is no cost to apply to the camps. Project materials, snacks and lunch will be provided. In-person attendance is mandatory.
“All our programs incorporate hand-on projects that promote exploration of concepts,” Raley said. “Students who participate in PREP agree that the group projects mixed with plenty of fun make this fast-paced program a great way to spend a week during the summer.”
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CUTLINE: Chioma Abed-Amazu, right, an New Mexico State University graduate student, helps Caitlyn Lonasee work on programming a small machine during an NM PREP summer camp in 2022. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman)