Two Idaho Students Selected to Explore Their Futures in STEAM at the Prestigious National Youth Science Camp
(BOISE) – Two high-performing high school students have been selected as Idaho’s delegates for the annual National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp), to be held from July 10 to August 2.
This year, Idaho will be represented by delegates Jeemin Kim and Bryan Li, both juniors at Timberline High School in Boise. They will join other high-performing high schoolers from across the country who are focused on taking science, technology, engineering, art and technology (STEAM) learning to the next level, preparing them for lifelong education and a future in STEAM-related careers. They will collaborate with leading STEAM professionals for extended learning at an all-expenses-paid residential camp located in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia.
“Not only does NYSCamp give students a chance to interface with other high-performing peers from across the country, it also lets them get their feet wet with real-world STEAM applications under the guidance of people who know the industry well,” said Idaho Department of Education Science Coordinator Andrea Baerwald. “I’m so happy that Bryan and Jeemin will be able to take advantage of this opportunity while representing Idaho at the national level.”
Each year, two students per state and from Washington D.C. are selected for the program based on overall academic performance, outstanding performance and achievements in STEAM program areas and their intention to pursue higher education and a career in a STEAM-related field.
Kim is excited to take advantage of the opportunity to explore subjects that she enjoys and is pursuing a future in.
“Science has opened my eyes to the many creative solutions being implemented to improve our world, from advancing medicine to protecting the environment,” she said. “I am beyond thrilled to attend NYSCamp, where I can collaborate with new friends and mentors, challenge myself and contribute my own ideas.”
For Li, NYSCamp represents a chance to explore STEAM topics further while collaborating and connecting with other STEAM-focused peers at this year’s camp.
“For me science is so valuable because it allows us to prove theories using concrete methods,” he said. “I’m hoping that I’ll make lots of friends at NYSCamp and that it’ll be an inspiring experience for me that’ll help me in the future.”
The National Youth Science Camp has been hosted in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia since 1963. This residential STEAM program is designed to give high-performing, STEAM-focused students a chance to learn from and collaborate with industry professionals while engaging with a variety of in-depth, interactive activities. Delegates will also travel to Washington D.C. to meet with congressional members, tour museums and attend a panel discussion held at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
