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Could students from the Rochester City School District (RCSD) be instrumental in NASA’s goal to send humans to Mars before the anticipated asteroid event in 2029?

It’s entirely possible as 68 rising sixth- through 11^th-grade RCSD students are on the �鶹��ý�Ŷ� campus through July 21 exploring interplanetary travel to Mars. The students are part of the , and the two-week residential camp “Expedition Mars: Creating a New World” will introduce them to space science, technology and engineering concepts surrounding a mission to the red planet as a way of avoiding potential asteroids colliding with Earth. It’s the 11^th year of the highly regarded STEM program (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

“We always look forward to offering this camp, and with NASA’s mission to Mars on the drawing board, I imagine the students will be excited and engage very quickly with the projects and activities,” said Susan Norman, camp director and director of �鶹��ý�Ŷ�’s Xerox Center for Multicultural Teacher Education. “Most of our students will have heard about space travel and will learn about the science involved to make it successful.”

Faculty members are conducting the science sessions and college students from �鶹��ý�Ŷ� and other local universities will participate as counselors. In learning about space science and technology, the students will build water-propelled rockets and learn engineering concepts that could divert an asteroid and/or carry cargo to Mars. The cargo will include materials for constructing biodomes to build a life-sustaining environment on the planet.

“Students will consider the cultural, social, economic and political structural system in order to successfully colonize the red planet,” said Kristi Krumrine, a faculty member in �鶹��ý�Ŷ�’s Department of Anthropology, who is teaching the camp’s colonization planning workshop

Norman said students also will learn survival and first-aid skills while participating on a community emergency response team.

“Experiences like this make science real for these students and peaks their interest in the STEM fields,” said Norman.

While working on their projects, the students will maintain a lifestyle of fitness through basketball, soccer, dance and music and also will participate in arts, crafts and other special activities. 

The camp will culminate in a closing ceremony July 21 from 10 a.m. to noon in the MacVittie Union Ballroom, where the students will participate in a speakers’ corner tournament.

“Based on their newfound knowledge, critical thinking and analysis and unique perspective, campers will collaborate to prepare and deliver a presentation about how to effectively thrive in a new world,” said Meredith Marko Harrigan, a faculty member in the college’s Department of Communication and a consultant for the camp.

Other faculty participating in this year’s program include Dan Dalmat, who is doing doctoral work in science education at the University of Rochester and is a teacher in the Honeoye School District. From the Rochester City School District are two teachers: Chad Dow, a social studies teacher at Edison Career and Technology High School and Peter Mastrogiovanni, the STEM Specialist for Nathaniel Rochester Community School No. 3. The assistant director of this year’s campus is Hope Andrascik, who just completed her master’s degree in education at �鶹��ý�Ŷ�.

Funding this year for the camp is being provided by the Greater Rochester Summer Learning Association (GRSLA), Xerox Corp., �鶹��ý�Ŷ� and the Rochester City School District.