More than 60 students from public and private high schools across Erie and Niagara counties attending the National Grid UB School of Engineering Leadership Camp visited National Grids Western New York’s corporate headquarters on Kensington Avenue this week. The site visit allows students to experience science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related careers in order to provide students with firsthand experience of careers that will be available in the future job market. A recent Brookings Institution report indicates there is room for growth in Buffalo Niagara’s STEM economy and STEM education is a priority of President Barack Obama and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The camp is part of UB and National Grid’s commitment to boosting STEM education among teens.
Students took part in an environmental engineering workshop hosted by a National Grid senior environmental engineer. They were then be broken up into groups to be trained in bucket truck operations and tethered pole climbing, followed by the opportunity to fully test out these careers. The day culminated with the students receiving a live wire demonstration. The National Grid UB School of Engineering Leadership Camp is a four-day engineering workshop for students entering their sophomore or junior year in high school in the fall. The focus of the camp is to expose students to engineering disciplines and to encourage them to enroll in an engineering curriculum.
The camp is geared for gifted and talented young men and women interested in exploring engineering opportunities. Students participate in classroom academics around applying STEM principles, attend field visits across the region to highlight technologies and area businesses, and board on campus to provide them with an introduction to the college experience.
National Grid’s support of this camp is part of the its Engineering our Future initiative, in which the company has made a $3 million investment for launching programs and supporting corporate partnerships focusing on exciting students about STEM subjects.