Houston, we have liftoff—hundreds of Houston kids are navigating to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education programs.
Every summer, a multicultural group of about 120 elementary and high school students attend a free STEAM summer camp, offered through the Emancipation Park Conservancy, in partnership with Linde.
For two hours a day, twice a week for eight weeks, campers make new friends and form community while they learn key concepts and skills taught by enthusiastic industry professionals.
Their STEAM summer scholarship culminates in the building and launch of a model rocket. It’s a masterpiece befitting Houston, nicknamed the Space City and home to NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center.
“Once we started offering STEAM programs, we saw our community kids navigate to them,” says Jennifer Spriggs, executive director of Emancipation Park Conservancy, who notes that her organization mostly serves African-American families.
“It's amazing seeing how the students change by the end of the program, when they’re shooting rockets and racing robotic cars they built. The enthusiasm that comes from them learning day to day is incredible.”
Emancipation Park Conservancy campers come to connect, build community and gain valuable skills.
This summer, the Conservancy will be expanding its STEAM offerings and holding a career fair after the camp closes, to further inspire campers and kids in the community. Attendees will meet industry professionals and learn about educational pathways and career options.
The camp and career fair will take place at Emancipation Park in Houston’s historic Third Ward community. As Black History Month begins Saturday, the park is now more than 150 years old—having been founded in 1872 by four formerly enslaved community leaders who pooled their resources to purchase the 10-acre plot of land for $800.
Emancipation Park was established to celebrate Juneteenth (June 19), the day when enslaved Americans living in Texas were finally notified of their freedom.
“It became a beacon of the community where African Americans for many years have been able to go and cultivate and celebrate community, something we still hold true.”
Today, the 11-acre park features a recreation center, cultural center, aquatic center, tennis courts, splash pads, playground and outdoor pavilions. The facilities and some programming are run by the Houston Parks and Recreation department, with the not-for-profit Conservancy offering joint programming and helping to maintain the grounds.
