Jacksonville, AL – As originally reported by Brett Buckner of JSU’s Media Department, the Jacksonville State University (JSU) College of Education and Professional Studies has been awarded the Alabama Summer and After School Program (ASAP) grant. The $48,300 grant will enhance the college’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) summer camp, expanding student participation, introducing new activities, and strengthening collaboration with families.
The proposal, written by Dr. Ahmad Alhammouri, Dr. Linda Mitchell, and Aimee Weathers, aims to provide transformative experiences for both students and future educators.
“The STEAM camp provides school students with an informal, early college life experience through the camp,” said Dr. Alhammouri, associate department head in the Department of Secondary Education. “We hope this will motivate [participants] to go to college and become Gamecocks one day.”
The ASAP grant will also support teacher candidates from the College of Education and Professional Studies by offering them informal practicum experiences through participation in the camp.
“This represents a transformative experience that our candidates can take to their classrooms,” Dr. Alhammouri added. “When they become teachers, they engage their students in hands-on activities.”
Since its inception in 2019 with 15 participants and a limited budget, the STEAM summer camp has grown steadily, with 60 students attending last year. Previous camps focused on math, science, and family and consumer science. With the ASAP grant, the camp plans to double its participants, add a literacy component, and expand its grade-level offerings.
Previously catering to students in grades three through six, the camp will now serve students from first through eighth grades, dividing sessions into two weeks. The first week will focus on first through fourth graders, and the second on fifth through eighth graders.
“We want to change these students’ perceptions about certain subjects,” Dr. Alhammouri said. “By having them participate in hands-on activities, we want to send them back to school with a new vision and belief about what they’re learning and see how it’s relevant to their daily lives.”
The ASAP grant, funded by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), supports programs that accelerate student learning in STEM and reading for Pre-K through 12th grade. The funds aim to implement or enhance summer and after-school learning initiatives, fostering academic enrichment and engagement for Alabama’s youth.
