Planting the Seeds of Tomorrow: NIWC Atlantic's Summer STEM Camps Launched Hampton Roads Students 'To the Moon and Back'

CHESAPEAKE, Va.— Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic recently concluded its highly anticipated annual summer STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – camps, once again inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers and tech pioneers in the Hampton Roads area. Spanning five action-packed days from July 20-24, the program featured the intensive, four-day STEM Academy followed immediately by the high-energy, one-day STEM Rocks! camp, offering local middle schoolers a tuition-free, immersive dive into the cutting edge of technology.

Hosted at Tidewater Community College’s (TCC) Chesapeake Campus, this year’s camps took on an ambitious and timely theme:"To the Moon and Back."

The curriculum centered heavily on the future of space exploration, specifically focusing on NASA’s upcoming Artemis III mission to the moon and the eventual progression of human travel to Mars. Rising sixth, seventh and eighth graders selected for the program engaged in nearly eight hours of daily, hands-on instruction designed to turn curiosity into a lifelong passion.

For Shawn Frazier, the NIWC Atlantic STEM coordinator for Hampton Roads, these camps were about far more than just teaching kids how to build rockets — they were about building a sustainable future for the local community.

"Underlying everything we do is a simple, powerful mission: we want to plant the seeds of STEM early on," Frazier said. "It's about dropping breadcrumbs for these kids to follow. When they see the exciting work being done here, we are showing them a clear path forward. If they are interested in gaming, artificial intelligence or space travel, we want them to know those educational and career pathways exist right here at TCC and at Old Dominion University."

This collaborative ecosystem was on display throughout the week. Partners like SmithTech, utilizing their computer lab resources housed at Oscar Smith Middle School, were on site providing activities in artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, coding and even astronaut clothing safety. Meanwhile, Dr. Kevin Mobley, a professor from ODU, led interactive gaming sessions infused with AI elements.

"We wanted to capture the kids' interest early and show them how relevant this is to their lives," Frazier explained. "From a university perspective, it gets them exposed to collegiate programs. It’s about creating a regional talent pipeline."

A cornerstone of the camp's philosophy is showcasing Hampton Roads as a premier technology hub where young talent can thrive without ever having to leave the region.

"A common goal shared across NIWC Atlantic, TCC and ODU is to maintain and retain tomorrow’s talent right here in this area," Frazier said. "There are incredible opportunities right in their backyard; they just need to be made aware of them and get involved. We had a guest speaker who was a prior STEM camp participant and did dual enrollment before going to ODU. He spoke to our rising ninth graders about taking those high school college courses. You might think eighth grade is too early to start planning your trajectory, but it never really is."

The camp's speaker lineup also featured a NASA aerospace engineer who shared her own inspiring journey. Originally not a STEM enthusiast, her career path was completely transformed after experiencing a hands-on STEM camp just like this one — proving the profound, lifelong impact these programs can have.

TheSTEM Academy, which took place July 20-23,guided 50 selected students through a rigorous daily schedule running from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. In addition to daily keynote addresses from four guest speakers, the academic schedule featured a comprehensive array of hands-on topics designed to stretch the students' technical skills. Collaborative problem-solving was fostered through Design Thinking and Design Jam sessions spearheaded by SmithTech, while program instructors Adam Cooper, a NIWC Atlantic IT specialist, and Daron Moore, a government contractor with EdgeSource, led interactive workshops focusing on cybersecurity. Students also gained crucial coding and space-mapping experience through Moon Trek and micro:bit programming, and applied mathematical concepts to real-world scenarios under the guidance of instructor Tabitha Garland, a NIWC Atlantic scientist. The weeklong academy culminated on Thursday afternoon with a fan-favorite, high-flying activity: constructing and launching water rockets on the campus field.

Immediately following the academy,STEM Rocks! welcomed a new cohort of 50 students on July 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This fast-paced, stand-alone camp compressed the thrill of the multi-day academy into a single day of high-octane challenges.

The one-day STEM Rocks! event kicked off with a keynote from Charris Gabaldon, a 31-year-old NIWC Atlantic physicist embedded at NASA Langley. As a current SMART scholarship recipient and applied researcher for the Department of the Navy pushing the boundaries of experimental quantum optics, Gabaldon breaks the mold of the stereotypical scientist. Her youthfulness and vibrant energy helped close the age gap, making her instantly relatable to the young attendees. By sharing her journey — from earning her Ph.D. to turning quantum science into real-world capability — she provided a highly accessible role model for the students.

Inspired by her opening remarks, the students then dived into a series of unique, space-themed modules. The interactive lineup included "Let Her Cook," "Attack of the Drones," "Mission Make It Loud" and "Mission Moon Map."

This summer marked a continuous 15-year legacy of STEM outreach for NIWC Atlantic. The program originally launched at Victory Elementary School in Portsmouth, progressed to Norfolk State University, and found its current home at TCC’s Chesapeake Campus in July 2022. This year represented the fourth successful iteration at TCC Chesapeake, made possible through a joint partnership with TCC, the Society of American Military Engineers and Edgesource.

By keeping the camps entirely free for selected participants, NIWC Atlantic and its partners continue to break down barriers to elite technical education, ensuring that the bright young minds of Hampton Roads have the ultimate launchpad to reach for the stars.

About NIWC Atlantic: As a part of Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, NIWC Atlantic provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities.

Learn More: To learn more about NIWC Atlantic’s summer camps, student opportunities, and academic outreach initiatives, visithttps://www.stemrocks.net/.