A summer of discovery for Immokalee students in unique FGCU camps
- Laurie D. Babcock
- August 13, 2024
- Community
- Contributors: James Greco & Lexi Velte, Photography | Katie Cribbs, Video
5 – minute read
On a humid day in June, 50 Immokalee Foundation middle schoolers trudged deep into a conservation area on the Florida Gulf Coast University campus. The waist-deep, cool water offered relief from the heat and didn’t dampen the excitement of those on the “wet walk.” It was all part of a summer camp that aimed to ignite their passion for learning and open doors to future careers.
“FGCU values the community and wants to provide pathways for students currently underserved in our student population to attaining a college degree and career,” says Laura Frost, associate dean and chemistry professor in the College of Arts & Sciences.
The students were part of a unique FGCU initiative in partnership with The Immokalee Foundation, a nonprofit that serves Immokalee’s youth and the Collier County community. The “wet walk” campers were among many Immokalee Foundation students attending five FGCU camps representing more than a dozen fields, including STEM, education and entrepreneurship.
Four camps for high-schoolers and one for middle schoolers included field trips, panels, workshops, mentoring and career interest and aptitude assessments. Since 2018, FGCU has provided the space, faculty and staff for these camps blending learning with interactive experiences for more than 600 Immokalee Foundation students.
“It cannot be overstated how important it is for students to feel like they belong on a college campus,” says Frost, one of the camp organizers. “Experiencing it as a middle or high school student makes it less intimidating when they might think about applying to college.”
According to The Immokalee Foundation, approximately 40,000 people live in the community southeast of FGCU during the peak winter season. Immokalee’s per capita income is $17,927, ranking it 477th out of 485 communities in Florida, and is home to a large migrant community. Noemi Perez, president and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation, understands the challenges and dreams of the young students from her hometown.
“Our mission is to build pathways to success for the youth of Immokalee,” Perez says. “Partnering with FGCU allows us to offer unparalleled educational opportunities that these students might not otherwise have.”
Middle schoolers participating in The Immokalee Foundation’s Career Pathways program spend the summer exploring science, technology, engineering and math careers in the four-week STEM camp. Campers engage in interactive activities such as building catapults, analyzing crime scenes, studying wildlife and learning to code.
“The [middle school] students get to consider careers that they might not have previously thought about because they’d never heard of them or didn’t think they were accessible to them,” says Frost.
“The FGCU summer camps are their first deep dive into their chosen career path,” Perez says.
The faculty bringing the camps together come from all across the university: Whitaker Center, Marieb College of Health & Human Services, College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, The Water School and the Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship.
In high school, Immokalee Foundation students choose from four career pathway camps.
In the business management and entrepreneurship camp, high school students learned and applied the “lean startup” method to develop business plans for imagined products. They participated in a pitch competition like those seen on the TV show “Shark Tank.”
Perez knows the profound difference opportunities for college and career success can make. “Growing up in Immokalee, I didn’t have access to programs like these.”
Frost, who started the first FGCU-Immokalee Foundation camp in 2018 when she served as director of the Whitaker Center for STEM Education, now runs the education and human services camp.
“Sometimes people don’t think they belong in college. They just don’t know the place,” Frost says. “As a professor, I’ve spent decades trying to convince students that they can learn chemistry. This is no different — instead of teaching them chemistry, we’re providing them a way to see themselves in college.”
In the education and human services camp, Foundation students learned about majors and careers in education, school counseling, social work, law enforcement and forensics. Frost gave the campers, who are rising ninth and 10th graders, a chance to explore as many careers as possible through a diverse array of activities.
In the healthcare camp, students rotated through different Marieb College majors at FGCU, participating in activities such as anatomy drawings. Their goal was to gain a comprehensive view of healthcare careers open to them, like nursing and occupational therapy.
In the engineering and construction management camp, students designed and launched homemade rockets, learning about engineering and physics.
“Our goal is to continue providing these transformative experiences and prepare our students for in-demand careers in Southwest Florida,” Perez says.
“Students need guidance and encouragement,” Frost says. “The camps provide that guidance and encouragement for a career through college for students. You don’t know what you can learn or do until you get a chance to explore it.”
Through the summer camp partnership between FGCU and The Immokalee Foundation, students are not just dreaming about their futures — they’re actively building them at FGCU.