Gallery
Glimpses from the
summer sessions.
Summer Program — Partnership
The GrowthWithin STEAM Discovery Camp is a 5-week summer program for children ages 8–12 — designed and co-delivered in partnership with the Red Rock Indian Band. One day per week. Six hours per session. Real STEAM. Real community.
5
Weekly sessions
12
Students max (optimal attention)
6h
Per session (9 AM — 3 PM)
8–12
Ages welcomed
Weekly Schedule
Each week explores a different area of STEAM — building on the previous week's knowledge and skills. Every session includes a morning block, an afternoon project, and a take-home challenge.
Week 1
Coding & Digital Storytelling
Morning
Land Acknowledgement and Welcome Circle. Icebreakers and community introductions. Introduction to Computational Thinking and Block-Based Programming using Scratch — exploring basic sequencing, loops, and events.
Afternoon
Digital Storytelling Project: students create animated stories or interactive narratives using Scratch, incorporating characters and themes relevant to their interests or local culture. Introduction to STEAM kit components.
Week 2
Robotics & Simple Circuits
Morning
Introduction to basic electricity and circuits. Hands-on exploration with LEDs, resistors, and breadboards from the STEAM kit. Students discover how electrical components work together to make things light up, buzz, and move.
Afternoon
Introduction to micro:bit: understanding inputs, outputs, and basic programming to make LEDs blink or control simple motors. Building a small robot — a vibrating brush bot or a simple car chassis with a motor — using provided materials.
Week 3
Environmental STEAM & Data Collection
Morning
Introduction to Environmental Science concepts relevant to their local area – local ecosystems, weather patterns, and the land around them. Students explore how scientists observe and understand the natural world.
Afternoon
Hands-on with Sensors & Microcontrollers: students use micro:bit boards with temperature, light, and moisture sensors to collect real-time environmental data. Introduction to data logging and the Internet of Things (IoT) — how devices communicate and share information.
Week 4
Physical Computing & Creative Interfaces
Morning
Building on micro:bit skills, students explore more advanced physical computing concepts — the accelerometer for motion-controlled interfaces, digital instruments, and interactive displays with the LED matrix.
Afternoon
Students design and build a "smart" invention using their micro:bit and maker materials. Examples include a reaction time game, a step counter, or a personal alarm. Focus on how devices interact with the physical world and respond to user input.
Week 5
Maker Challenge & Community Showcase
Morning
Design Thinking Challenge: students work in small groups using craft materials, recycled items, and electronics from their kits to solve a real community problem — building a bridge, designing a protective shelter, creating a wind-powered device, or building an environmental monitoring station.
Afternoon — Community Showcase
Project refinement and presentation preparation. Then: the Community Showcase Event. Families, Band Council members, school board representatives, and community guests are invited to celebrate. Students present their projects, share their learning, and receive certificates of participation.
Gallery
Take-Home Materials
We believe learning shouldn't stop when camp ends. Every participant receives a fully equipped STEAM kit — theirs to keep — so they can continue exploring, building, and creating at home.
Ask About Materials ?BBC micro:bit v2 with battery pack and cables
LEDs, resistors, and basic circuit components
Breadboard for circuit experiments
Jumper wires and connectors
Maker materials: motors, tape, craft supplies
Take-home storage box
Free software: Scratch + micro:bit MakeCode Editor
Certificate of participation
Equity & Access
Every participant receives their own micro:bit STEAM kit to take home. Learning doesn't end when camp ends.
Activities are designed for varying skill levels, learning styles, and abilities. No experience required — curiosity is enough.
Instruction and materials are adapted for cultural relevance. Indigenous perspectives are not an add-on — they shape the program.
Scratch and micro:bit MakeCode Editor are both completely free, so students can keep coding at home after the camp ends.
STEAM kits are built to last — and reusable. Materials continue providing value long after the summer ends.
We actively work to secure grants and partnerships to reduce costs for communities. Contact us to explore funding options.
Whether you're a Band Council, a school, or a community organization — reach out to start a conversation. We'll listen first, then build together.
My name is Javier Nossa, and I come to live on this land from Bogotá, Colombia. I recognize that I live and work in the Robinson-Superior Treaty Area. In Thunder Bay, I acknowledge the land of Fort William First Nation, and in Red Rock, the traditional lands of Red Rock Indian Band.
I honour the past, present, and future custodians of the land and thank Indigenous Nations for their stewardship, teachings, and guidance toward a better future.
I acknowledge my responsibility to Call to Action 63 by bringing Indigenous knowledge into the curriculum through respectful collaboration with local communities. I work to ensure this knowledge is honoured, not appropriated.
I recognize the colonial impact on these lands and commit to helping students understand this history while integrating Indigenous perspectives into STEAM education.
Miigwech. Thank you. Merci. Gracias.