Seguin ISD making summer learning fun

Kids giving Science Mill summer camp at TLU a thumbs up

(Seguin) — Seguin ISD students are experiencing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in new and exciting ways this summer. The lessons learned are all part of a camp being offered by the SISD and are being held in partnership with Texas Lutheran University and the Science Mill. The camp is among the variations being offered as part of the district’s free six-week summer camp experience.

According to the Science Mill’s Impact Report, 2 out of 3 students who attend camp become interested in pursuing a STEM career and 90 percent believe they can be successful. Although located in Johnson City, Science Mill does take the camp out on the road to various school districts.

Among the believers in the program is Seguin ISD Superintendent Dr. Matthew Gutierrez.

Gutierrez, an early supporter of the Science Mill camp, says he can now attest to the benefits first-hand, following the experience of one of his sons.

“He loved every minute of camp and talked about nothing else each night at home. From our conversations, it was clear that his new knowledge sparked a desire to learn more. I believe that by teaching our children to love learning, we do more than educate them. We transform their lives. That transformation can have a generational ripple effect. If students love learning, especially the STEM disciplines, their earnings potential also improves and eventually our district’s heartbreakin Seguin ISD launches online registration g 70 percent poverty rate could finally be lifted. For those reasons, we are constantly innovating and growing our students’ opportunities to learn,” said Gutierrez.

Ensuring the program in Seguin, however, did not come without challenges. That’s according to Kelly Follis, SISD’s director of community outreach and SEF’s executive director.  

She says when the SISD’s Chief Innovation Officer Mark Cantu studied the program and its results, he and his team determined that as many students as possible should be given the opportunity to benefit from this potentially life-changing education. She says the funding was a challenge, despite the benevolent donation of $10,000 and classroom space at TLU. She says TLU was their big community partner from the beginning. She says it was also the college environment that the Science Mill was looking for in providing their mobile services.

“In addition to the partnership with TLU, the Science Mill camp was made possible by a generous $20,000 grant from the Texas Pioneer Foundation. This was the first grant funded by the organization to the SISD through the Seguin Education Foundation (SEF),” said Follis.   

Follis says not once did the Texas Pioneer Foundation hesitate in lending a hand.

“Their almost immediate response was ‘We want to help you.’ Along with the generosity of TLU and a donation by Vitesco, the Pioneer Foundation’s donation put us on the path to making this camp a reality. In these difficult times concerning school safety, letting our students know that their education is important because they are important is what it’s all about. Innovative opportunities like this are worth our community’s support and are the goal of our district as a whole, but also of the Seguin Education Foundation’s innovative teaching grants. We welcome and encourage our community to get involved with our schools! Our children are too important to let slip through the cracks!” said Follis.   

Although it has been a great addition to its summer camps, Follis says the district is not yet done with the Science Mill program.

“We are actually bringing it to our afterschool program, a version of it that the Science Mill offers for an afterschool program. We are bringing that to our ACE Afterschool program that will be continuous through the school year. So, we are not just one in done. We are continuing to implement these wonderful concepts and introduce our students to even more exciting careers and studies in the science, technology, engineering and math fields,” said Follis.

To help fund even more opportunities like this, the community is encouraged to donate to the Seguin Education Foundation. Giving is possible by contacting Follis at 830.379.0325 or by emailing her office at kfollis@seguin.k12.tx.us.