Young innovators invited to explore STEAM at EmPowerU summer camps  

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV)-- EmPowerU will host two weeks of half-day STEAM camps from July 20–31, giving kids the chance to dive into hands-on activities. 

Designed for students entering grades 3–8, the camps spark curiosity and build excitement for science, technology, engineering, arts and math through interactive learning. 

With guidance from experienced facilitators, campers will build machines, program robots, tackle creative design challenges and explore ways to support and protect the environment.  

For Kristy Bachali, serving as an EmPowerU facilitator has been a rewarding experience.  

“Because it is my first year they are eager to come in and help and we also have some high schoolers that come in as well,” Bachali said.  

As a first-year facilitator, she said the support from fellow educators and even high school volunteers has made the experience even better.  

She said she saw the camp as a chance to build stronger relationships with the campers while also connecting with fellow facilitators from across the area.  

Bachali, who teaches second grade during the school year, said her classroom experience inspired her to become a facilitator. 

She knew the camp would be a great opportunity to get to know students outside of the classroom while connecting with other educators from the area. 

Throughout the camp, Bachali has led several STEAM activities. 

“I have been doing powered machines where kids are just working with Legos to build different cars and with motors. I have also done Tynker coding and I have done SPIKE prime,” she said.  

She hopes to leave the camp with new ideas and skills she can bring back to her own classroom. 

For eighth grader Mason Matchette, the camp is about more than just technology. 

“I love rocket league so far but probably something different later on. I only came to this camp for two years but I have been to other camps for also two years,” Matchette said.  

Although this is only his second year at the camp, Matchette has attended other summer camps for the past two years as well. 

So far, one of his favorite activities has been playing Rocket League, though he said that could change as the week goes on.  

“I haven’t really been against much challenges but sometimes if this place could change a little bit I would say they should add a Redstone in education in Minecraft because it help people to build traps,” he added.  

Third grader Aland Amin is also returning for his second year and said building with Legos is easily his favorite part of camp. 

He especially enjoys racing motorized Lego cars with his friends.  

“I love how I get to see my friends because the best part about it is if you are doing it in and out then no one can test the games out and have someone to do that with,” Amin said.  

Before camp wraps up, Amin hopes to learn more about coding using numbers and binary. 

For more information and online registration for next year's camp, visit https://www.mlcfoundation.com/steamcamps/.