Students at Summer Youth Programs love to get hands-on, dive into projects, and try new things. They harness their academic talents in creative ways by solving all kinds of problems. Excitement for STEM comes naturally to the kinds of people who are drawn to SYP: those with curiosity and a sense for how much fun science and engineering can be.
You know who else fits those descriptions? FIRST Robotics students!
Our friends at Consumers Energy and DTE see this connection, and this year we are fortunate to have them as a sponsor. 13 students from Michigan FIRST Robotics teams will receive scholarships to attend our Intro to Renewable Energy program in July. They were awarded during the FIRST Dean’s List and Championship Week events to students from all across the state.
During this class, students will explore renewable energy from batteries to hydroelectric dams, and discover how we harness energy in different ways. Activities may include building and racing solar-powered cars, touring a hydroelectric dam, and building their own turbine.
For Consumers, there is tremendous value to getting students engaged with a summer program like this.
Consumers Energy has boldly and courageously committed to a sustainable future through clean energy. In order to accomplish this, we must engage our students in experiences that will open their eyes to careers involving sustainable technologies. The Intro to Renewable Energy program will be an amazing opportunity for students to gain exposure in this area! We are proud to partner with Michigan Technological University to plant seeds that will yield the talent that will help us to realize this sustainable future!
Monique Wells, Consumers Energy
If this course sounds cool, don’t worry. There are still a handful of spots remaining in Intro to Renewable Energy if you would like to join us this summer! Check out more information on our website at mtu.edu/syp.