Whidbey Island, WA – May 31, 2024 – Whidbey Island Language, Art & STEM Center (WILASC) is excited to announce its lineup of 22 enriching summer camps designed to inspire and educate students in the areas of languages, art, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This year, recognizing the growing importance of STEM education, WILASC is proud to offer a robust selection of camps, with more than half focusing on STEM disciplines, particularly coding and robotics.
To enhance the diversity of our STEM offerings, WILASC is partnering with two esteemed Seattle-based institutions: Coding with Kids and OpenWorld by DigiPen Institute of Technology (top 10 colleges nationwide in game development). Along with local STEM teachers, these collaborations will bring an exciting array of coding and robotics camps to Whidbey students, providing them with unique opportunities to develop critical skills in these high-demand fields.
"After a year offering coding classes and summer camps to local students, we recognized a great need to keep expanding their skills and deepening their exploration into the world of STEM, especially coding and robotics”, said Hai Anh Vu, Founder, and Director of WILASC. “Besides collaborating with local teachers, we are inviting these institutions to Whidbey to offer unique in-person programs that would otherwise be harder for local students to access. We hope many students can take advantage of these opportunities.”
The majority of WILASC’s STEM camps are taught by local teachers. Justin MacDonald, a college-level coding professor and a Math teacher at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School, will teach a robotics camp for teenagers. Angela Dolph, a STEM teacher at HomeConnection (Oak Harbor), will teach several camps in Scratch, Minecraft, and Robotics for middle graders.
Dolph, who was appointed a local ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL), is also leading two much-anticipated Space Science camps for ages 6-10.
Another STEM teacher, local biologist Andi Kopit, will lead an outdoors, nature-based camp exploring the farm ecology, held in collaboration with the Organic Farm School on its Clinton-based farm campus.
“Parents and students can look forward to a summer filled with creativity, learning, and exploration at WILASC. From hands-on STEM experiences, and language immersion to artistic expression and unwinding with yoga, there is something for every child to enjoy and grow from,” said Vu.
In addition to these new offerings, WILASC is honored to announce the receipt of a generous grant for our STEM program from The South Whidbey Project, a new local nonprofit with a mission to improve the community of South Whidbey Island through public projects, education, engagement, and opportunity. This funding will be instrumental in enhancing our STEM summer camps by providing necessary classroom supplies and scholarships to ensure that these opportunities are accessible to all interested students.
Furthermore, in partnership with the Coupeville School District, WILASC has also received funding from the Windermere Foundation. This grant is dedicated to providing scholarships for Coupeville students participating in WILASC's enrichment programs, including both after-school classes and summer camps.
"We are deeply grateful for the support from The South Whidbey Project and Windermere Foundation," said Vu. "Their contributions are vital in helping us fulfill our mission of providing accessible educational opportunities to the youth of Whidbey Island."
"The South Whidbey Project is proud to partner with the Whidbey Island Language Art & STEM Center," said Levi Sawyers, a founder in the South Whidbey Project. "WILASC's dedication to diversifying educational opportunities with afterschool programs and camps for the island community aligns perfectly with our mission. We are excited to join them on this journey and invest in the island youth.”
WILASC launched in 2023 with a summer camp program and subsequently offered enrichment classes to South Whidbey and Coupeville students throughout the school year 2023-24.
Its 2024 summer program, targeted at ages 4-15, includes camps in coding & robotics, game design, art, music, language and culture, farming & outdoors, and yoga for kids. Its summer camp partners include Coding with Kids, OpenWorld by DigiPen Institute of Technology, the Organic Farm School, Sweetwater Farm, Coupeville School District, and Island Strings.
To apply for WILASC summer camps and scholarships, visit
ABOUT WILASC:
Whidbey Island Language, Art & STEM Center (WILASC) was founded in 2023 with the mission of providing a space for children and adults to explore their interests and develop new skills in languages, STEM, and the arts. Our programs are diverse in nature, but all are guided by the same criteria: to nurture students’ intellectual curiosity, develop their critical thinking skills and a global mindset, and inspire their lifelong love of learning.
For more information and to register for the summer camps, please visit www.wilasc.com
Contact:
Hai Anh Vu – Founder & Director
Whidbey Island Language Art & STEM Center (WILASC)360 672 5882hello@wilasc.comwww.wilasc.com
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