CCPREP Summer STEM Camp Marking 20th Anniversary and Now Taking Applications
Article by: Melinda Eddleman
Summer will be here before everyone knows it. The three-month hiatus from school for most youth usually means going to the beach, hanging out with friends and just taking it easy.
For young geniuses who want to spend more time in the classroom this summer, the Corpus Christi Prefreshman Engineering Program (CCPREP) at Del Mar College will give dedicated sixth- through ninth-graders the opportunity to solve mathematical problems, design engineering wonders, learn about computer operating systems and languages and more.
CCPREP 2019 will mark 20 years the College has offered the program for youth focused on keeping their mathematical skills sharp during the summer.
Del Mar College is thrilled to offer the Corpus Christi Prefreshman Engineering Program, especially since we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary this summerr. We have touched the lives of nearly 1,000 Coastal Bend youth during the past two decades, and our alumni include professional engineers, graduate students and numerous high school students in the top 5% of their classes.
Shollenberger notes that the continued support from sponsors positions the program for many more success stories in the years ahead. CCPREP is made possible with Flint Hills Resources serving as the program’s lead sponsor. Other sponsors include the Coastal Bend Community Foundation, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Citgo and the Texas Department of Transportation, among others.
The program will accept approximately 100 students for summer 2019.
The six-week camp, which runs June 3 through July 18, is FREE to accepted participants. The deadline to apply is noon Friday, April 19, at the DMC Mathematics Department, Room 109, Memorial Classroom Building, East Campus at Ayers and Baldwin.
Note that the College is closed for Spring Break March 11-16.
Information about the program, deadlines, parent orientation sessions (May 31) and downloadable application forms are available at www.delmar.edu/ccprep. Parents can also call the Math Office at 698-1238 or contact CCPREP director James Shollenberger at 361-698-1671 or jshollen@delmar.edu.
The annual summer program at Del Mar College is the local site of the Texas Prefreshman Engineering Program.
The program targets high ability middle school through high school students interested in pursuing careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. CCPREP is challenging and rigorous, including classroom study, homework and group projects. Youth are also exposed to engineers and scientists during lectures and field trips while benefitting from a “hands-on” college experience.
Engaging activities campers can expect are the robotic competition among first-year students, an architectural project with the American Institute of Architects for second-year students and a project that involves preparing business proposals for third-year students.
Organizers note that because they’ll observe 20 years of offering CCPREP in the Coastal Bend, they will have some activities that play on the anniversary theme.
TexPREP has been recognized by the Texas Education Agency to the extent that local school districts may grant one credit on the high school transcript of CCPREP graduates for each summer program component they successfully complete. CCPREP organizers strongly urge females and students from minority groups who have been traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering to apply for participation.
View highlights and interviews from the CCPREP competition and media day in July 2018 below:
Del Mar College empowers students to achieve their dreams. We offer quality programs, individual attention, outstanding instruction through faculty with real-world experience and affordable costs to credit and noncredit students in Corpus Christi and the South Texas Coastal Bend area. Nationally recognized while locally focused, we’re ranked in the top two percent of community colleges in the country granting associate degrees to Hispanic students (Community College Week). Del Mar College focuses on offering our students programs that match current or emerging career opportunities. Whether students are interested in the fine arts, sciences, business, occupational or technical areas, students get the education they need for the future they want at Del Mar College.