This July, five middle school students from the Lawrence Family Development Charter School will be attending UNH Tech Camp where they will participate in a summer enrichment program focused on science, technology, engineering and math. Thanks to financial assistance from the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund, these students will attend the weeklong residential program in Durham, NH, at no cost. The students attending are Azul Cabrera, Mikayla Cisneros, Xalix Jaquez, Rodnelfy Paulino and Adriana Reyes.

Since 2017, 37 students from the Lawrence Family Development Charter School have attended UNH Tech Camp thanks to financial assistance made possible by the Greater Lawrence Summer Fund.

"UNH Tech Camp has provided our students with access to a dynamic summer STEM program that emphasizes collaboration, creative thinking and problem solving,” says George Masterson, M.Ed., STEM Coordinator at Lawrence Family Development Charter School. “It’s a great growth opportunity on many levels. Not only do the students make new friends and gain valuable skills but they also get a glimpse of what their secondary education could look like."

Introducing students to new pathways that exist within the world of STEM is central to the Tech Camp mission, says Carmela Amato-Wierda, Director of Tech Camp and a professor at UNH.

“Tech Camp empowers students, regardless of their background or experience level, to gain a better understanding of numerous STEM concepts through fun, hands-on activities,” she explains. “They also get to work with teachers, graduate students and STEM professionals in a supportive environment on a vibrant college campus. It can really be life changing. Founded in 2007, UNH Tech Camp offers students in grades 5-12 the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities focused on subject areas that range from rocketry and computer coding to environmental science and regenerative medicine. An important component of the Tech Camp philosophy is to foster a diverse and inclusive community, providing STEM education to students from all ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.  

The Greater Lawrence Summer Fund, a fund of the Essex County Community Foundation, is focused on closing the opportunity and achievement gap for thousands of youth in Greater Lawrence each year by providing enrichment activities during out-of-school time. For 30 years, this fund has supported high-quality summer programs that enhance social, academic and emotional abilities; discourage unhealthy behaviors by providing safe alternatives; and reduce summer learning loss.