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STEM, Soil, and Self-Discipline: A Transformative Week at Seed to Bloom Camp By: Crystal Duckett, Communication and Media Specialist
Beyond agriculture, the camp offered enriching experiences in leadership and cultural awareness. Campers explored careers in STEM and entrepreneurship through projects like planting more than 80 tomato and pepper plants, which will be processed and sold. A trip to the Colonel Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument provided inspiration, while a motivational session with world-renowned jump rope champion Shawn Hamilton taught perseverance and self-discipline. The week culminated in a final showcase where campers presented their group projects, demonstrating the skills and confidence they gained. This camp provided students with hands-on opportunities with research professors in various disciplines, in- cluding sustainable agriculture, drone technology, and environmental science.
The Seed to Bloom Camp at Central State University offered a transformative, five- day (June 16-20) residential experience for 30 middle school students across Ohio, focusing on agriculture, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), leadership, and career exploration. The camp provided hands-on learning in sustainable agriculture, drone technology, and environmental science, with students participating in activities such as soil health, composting, crop planning, and personal safety in the field. The highlight of the camp was the Gardening with Grace curriculum, where campers learned agricultural practices and environmental stewardship from Terry Grace, a retired U.S. Army sergeant, farmer, and agricultural career mentor and environmental scientist.
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