Recapping the 2023 Engineering & Construction Camp Season

The end of summer means the end to another incredible camp season! The past few months have been an amazing journey where talented young high school students embraced engineering challenges, broke creative boundaries, and pushed themselves to their limits! Relive some of the best activities, challenges, and competitions put to another stellar group of campers this year.

Every summer, a huge team effort makes our Engineering & Construction Camps a resounding success. The SAME Foundation provides critical support for our Camps Mentor program while the SAME Camps COI are instrumental in organizing and managing all of the behind-the-scenes details that keep the camps running smoothly. Not to mention the hundreds of volunteers across the country who selflessly give of their time and energy to ensure that the future of our nation’s engineering and STEM community is bright.

U.S. ARMY CAMP

The SAME/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering & Construction Camp kicked off the camps season in June. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the camp, based in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Industry professionals and Army service members generously gave their time to coach and mentor the students as they were put through their physical and mental paces, where every day presented a new challenge! Groups competed in various challenges, and were exposed to concrete methods, heavy equipment operation, and much more. Even with a full schedule of activities every day, the students still found time to blow off a little steam with a night of bowling!

U.S. MARINE CORPS CAMP

At Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, the SAME/U.S. Marine Corps Engineering & Construction Camp formed the students into squads of 10, where a dash of competition was just the right ingredient to learn team dynamics, self-confidence and leadership.

Each team took great pride in their squad identity and together, from 06:00 reveille to lights out at 23:00, service members accompanied campers through PT, meals, and daily challenges from constructing and testing a trebuchet to the design and building of a cardboard boat that was tested for seaworthiness in the camp pool!

The students built and stress tested concrete, fired weapons in a virtual battle, and even found time to relax on the beach.

AIR FORCE ACADEMY CAMP

July 6 welcomed eager campers to the SAME/Engineering & Construction Camp at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The students were eager to get their hands dirty building and testing engineering and construction projects.

They participated in field trips and attended presentations from engineering firms, architects, construction companies, military leaders, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The teams tried their hand at construction by building a dog house, forming a concrete beam and testing its structural integrity, and, in the favorite activity at camp, each team designed, built, and tested a cardboard boat. This event is probably the most raucous and competitive time of the week!

U.S. NAVY CAMP

SAME/U.S. Navy Engineering & Construction Camp was held at the Naval Construction Battalion Center in Port Hueneme, California during the week of July 16. As expected, the activities had a heavy water focus!

Campers designed, built and tested cardboard boats that each squad tested in a high-spirited race across the pool. The campers really tested their engineering skills when they were given the challenge to construct a remote controlled submersible. Each squad had to pilot their vehicle through a field of underwater obstacles.

AIR FORCE CAMP

The U.S. Air Force hosted its SAME/Engineering & Construction Camp at Scott Air Force Base at Scott AFB, Illinois. Campers were put through their paces while armed service professionals and industry experts guided them through construction and design projects. Squads engage in a little friendly competition to see whose build is the tallest, strongest, or most resilient.

Campers not only got a sense of what life is like on base, but also had an opportunity to be introduced to tasks that taught them problem solving skills, teamwork, leadership, and project management.

It Takes Many Hands …

SAME is dedicated to developing the next generation of leaders in the engineering and STEM professions in order to strengthen America’s national security for years to come.

2023 has been a very successful and very memorable camp season. SAME is extremely proud of our students from across America. These aspiring engineers are certainly impressive on their own merits, but we would like to spread the love to the men and women who make each and every day at our Camp an amazing and unique experience for our students.

Service members work hand in hand with industry professionals and local volunteers and give their valuable time to help teach and mentor our campers. Often, the bonds are so strong that many students keep in touch with mentors they’ve met at these camps. Many campers go on to rewarding careers as military engineers and STEM professionals who will work closely with our armed services to strengthen industry-government relationships.

Private firms and the U.S. military have worked together to build these unique camps for 20 years. Together we will continue to inspire and cultivate the next generation of engineers, architects and construction professionals. Without the generosity and vision of hundreds of knowledgeable and seasoned volunteers, our construction and engineering camps simply wouldn’t be possible. A huge thanks to you all, and we can’t wait until next year!