Students focus on STEM opportunities

Aug. 3—Dozens of local students are getting a massive helping of encouragement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics this week, with assistance from Second Baptist Church and the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic, based in Charleston.

Aiken STEM Camp is underway, under the guidance of a 2008 South Aiken High School graduate who now works as a software engineer for NIWC Atlantic: Aiken native Marcus Schoultz, who can speak about STEM careers and concepts from plenty of personal experience. Schoultz leads discussions and fields questions on such topics as robots and the best steps for taking to build a website.

The Rev. Doug Slaughter, senior pastor at Second Baptist, is watching the procession and gave a thumbs-up review at the close of Tuesday's gathering. Schoultz was similarly upbeat.

"I want to give back to the rural areas," said Schoultz, noting that his job situation allows him to work with interns and new professionals to help promote STEM. This week's event, he said, represents "a wonderful opportunity that Second Baptist and Rev. Slaughter ... and my job gave me to come back home and teach to our future generations."

"We just have kids from all over," said Slaughter, who also expressed thanks for Schoultz's help in turning the idea into reality.

"We had a conversation. He said he'd like to do it, and we just thought this was a phenomenal opportunity for the children in our community, to be exposed to STEM, and they just have so many amazing things," he said.

"He went to school here in Aiken and he started telling me about it, and we invited them to come, and they're here."

The participants, who number 36, mostly range from rising fifth graders to rising ninth graders, and have about 10 volunteers on hand to help guide the process.

Among the dozens of kids on hand for this week's STEM festivities is Teresa Wells, who is a couple of weeks away from life as an eighth grader at Jackson Middle School.

"I'm here because I want to learn about STEM and web development and technology, and the best part about it is that it's easy, and if it's not, he helps us with it."

One of the major boosters is local resident Christopher Emanuel, creator of the Sky is the Limit Foundation, described as "a nonprofit that educates and connects fathers with legal services and support," in a recent Aiken Standard article. Emanuel also helps guide the annual True to Your Sole local shoe giveaway and directs the local Teen After School Center with the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice.

"Second on York," Second Baptist's facility on York Street, is the host site, remembered by some as the former site of a shopping center that had a Bi-Lo as its anchor. It has been undergoing a complete renovation since the church bought the building in January 2019, and plans are in place for its formal opening later this year.

Schoultz's background includes a 2014 bachelor's degree in computer science from Charleston Southern University.

Slaughter said the camp has been taking shape for about three months, with excellent support from NWIC Atlantic. "This is the first time we've done it, but it definitely won't be the last time. We're planning on trying to expand it next year, and the way it's going, I'm sure that with the success that we're having, they'll want to come back next year and next year and next year, and we're excited about having it for our kids and our community."

The camp began Monday and is to run through Friday, leading to a 12:30 p.m. finale with a variety of prizes to be distributed on the basis of outstanding performances, as judged by volunteers who are helping guide the activities.

The Charleston-based host organization, as described on its website, "provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities.