Horticulture Department hosts summer programs
Jun 26, 2008
HOUSTON, TX (June 24, 2008) – Houston Community College Horticulture Department submitted and received a grant from USDA to create summer camp opportunities and programs promoting science and agriculture for students from Spring Branch Independent School District.
HCC’s Science Summer Camp was held from June 2 – 6 at the Spring Branch Education Center for students from the School of Choice and Cornerstone Academy. Camp highlights included a guest speaker from Abitibi Consolidated who spoke on recycling initiatives, CSI Day where students solved fictional crimes by analyzing various “evidence,” and Health Day where students extracted and studied their own DNA samples then put it in a vial which they placed on a necklace.
The Sam Houston State University Summer Science Program took place from June 8– 10 and included students from most Spring Branch ISD high schools. Individuals in the program visited a planetarium, studied the science of soils, learned about physics and chemistry, and investigated water stream ecology.
SHSU was also the site for the Agriculture Camp. Educators introduced students to a survey of careers and education in agriculture. Topics covered ranged from “Agriculture Economics and Marketing” to a discussion of the meat processing industry entitled “From Hoof to Plate.”
Spring Branch 8th graders were eager participants in a two-week Summer Carnival. Students learned about careers in criminal justice, forensics, mass communications, agriculture science, medical professions, and, through a tour of the Omni Hotel, about hotel management. Individuals in the program toured Kirksey Architectural to learn about careers in architecture, Minute Maid Park to discover the field of turf management, and toured the University of Texas in Austin. Students prepared a PowerPoint exploring the career of their choice and shared it with their classmates so that all were exposed to diverse career choices.
The Summer Culinary Camp took place at the Spring Branch ISD Guthrie Center from June 2 – June 6. Students interested in culinary arts learned about food preparation, nutrition, safety, designing a menu, and trying different recipes. At the end of the camp, participants went on a field trip to a retailer who sells high-end kitchen equipment.
For more information on these summer program and camp opportunities, please contact Valorie Gehman at 713-718-5853 or email valorie.gehman@hccs.edu.
