This past July, rising middle school girls participated in the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District’s first-ever STREAM Camp for Girls. The camp was designed to inspire, build curiosity, and empower participants in Science, Technology, Restoration, Engineering, Art, and Math. Our goal was to create a supportive and inclusive space where campers could explore fields in which their voices and perspectives are often underrepresented.
Throughout the week-long day camp, attendees engaged in hands-on activities, outdoor exploration, and built their own cardboard automata (a hand-cranked mechanical sculpture). Each day also featured women and nonbinary guest speakers working across STREAM fields who shared their career journeys and experiences.
Our guest speakers came from a wide range of knowledge. Danielle Collins led a dip netting and water quality testing activity at Mt. View Sanitary District. Sara Duckler, an Engineer with the Contra Costa Flood Control District, guided us on a tour of Drop Structure 1 on Walnut Creek, discussing its purpose and its barriers to fish passage. Wildlife Biologist and CCRCD Board Member, Soumya Suresh, led a nature walk at Lafayette Reservoir, highlighting wildlife and plants present. Melissa Nelson, a Geologist and Stormwater Specialist, introduced campers to rain gardens and led an activity comparing grey and green infrastructure.
We also had many of our own CCRCD staff lead workshops throughout the week. Jules Mackey, our habitat restoration coordinator, facilitated activities on habitat restoration, plant identification, and birding. Campers learned about seed sowing with Nat Gaffney, an agriculture conservation coordinator, at the Laurel Court Community Garden. Elena Rich, a habitat restoration technician, introduced campers to GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping through a nature scavenger hunt activity. Campers learned about wildfire, plant adaptation, and cultural burn practices with Zoë Fung, our wildfire conservation coordinator. Lastly, Lisa Damerel, a watershed conservation coordinator, led campers through a pollinator survey activity.
Coordinating this camp was both exciting and challenging. I co-led the camp alongside Amber Milano, and it was our first time developing an environmental education program at this scale. With the support from CCRCD staff behind the scenes, months of preparation and collaboration brought this project to life.
One of the highlights for me was watching campers connect with each other, the staff, and nature. From acing check in questions to asking thoughtful questions, it was inspiring to see how much they learned in just one week. The graduation celebration was especially rewarding as families saw photos from the week and listened as the campers presented their automata projects. By the end of the camp, it was clear that the campers had built confidence and connections through STREAM Camp. We hope to see your student at next year’s camp!
A big thank you to the sponsors of this event: Restoration Design Group, Ann Baier, Frances Knapczyk, Andrea Jarvis, Carole S Johnson, Lisa Anich, Abid Itagi, Lorena Castillo, and Robert Simmons.
