ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. — Community partnerships helped bring NASA-inspired STEM education to local middle school students this summer as the Center for Energy Education (C4EE) concluded its Out of This World: Artemis II Summer Camp. Through support from Dominion Energy, the North Carolina Space Grant, NC State University, the Halifax County Schools Nutrition Program, and dedicated educators, students spent four days exploring engineering, teamwork, and innovation through immersive, hands-on learning experiences.
Campers designed mission patches, constructed NASA-inspired Space Launch System (SLS) models, explored solar sail technology, solved an Apollo 13-inspired carbon dioxide filter challenge, and developed Shark Tank-style presentations that encouraged critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.
“Programs like this demonstrate what’s possible when educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and industry partners work together to invest in students,” said Mozine Lowe, Executive Director of the Center for Energy Education.
The collaborative spirit of the camp extended into the classroom. C4EE STEAM Education Manager Jasmin Carter led the camp alongside NC State Kenan Fellow Milton Lima and William R Davie educator Joy Aguas, combining expertise to create an engaging STEM experience for students.
As part of C4EE’s ongoing partnership with the NC State Kenan Fellows Program, Lima joined the instructional team to help lead the camp’s engineering activities. The fellowship places educators in real-world industry settings, allowing them to bring those experiences back to their classrooms.
Lima, a Kenan Fellow for 2026-2027 and an educator with eight years of classroom experience, said the week reinforced the importance of challenging students to think creatively and work together.
“Working with the students, you always get surprised in a positive way,” Lima said. “They are creative, and sometimes all they need is a little push to think deeper and find solutions. This week showed the importance of collaboration because teamwork makes the dream work.”
During the week, Dominion Energy presented the Center for Energy Education with a $15,000 contribution to support future summer camp programming, reinforcing the company’s commitment to expanding STEM education opportunities for students across the region.
“Dominion Energy is proud to continue our longtime partnership with the Center for Energy Education by supporting its Clean Energy Summer Camps and helping inspire the next generation of energy leaders,“ said Katherine (Winnie) Wade, External Affairs Manager of Dominion Energy.
The North Carolina Space Grant further enhanced the experience by providing NASA-themed educational materials for campers, including mission patches, stickers, moon stress balls, and other educational keepsakes that connected students to America’s ongoing space exploration efforts.
The week concluded with students presenting their Shark Tank projects to family members and guests before receiving AstroInnovator certificates recognizing the successful completion of the program.
For Carter, the greatest measure of success wasn’t simply the projects students completed, but the confidence they developed throughout the week.
“We wanted students to understand that engineering is an iterative process,” Carter said. “Throughout the week they applied the engineering design process and learned that it’s okay to test an idea, make improvements, and try again. Those experiences help students develop resilience and the critical thinking skills they’ll carry with them long after camp ends.”
The Artemis II Summer Camp is one of several STEM initiatives C4EE offers throughout the year to introduce students to engineering, renewable energy and emerging technologies. Through partnerships among education, industry and community organizations, the Center continues expanding access to hands-on learning experiences that encourage students to explore future careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics while building awareness of opportunities in North Carolina’s growing STEM economy.