BEEBE, Ark. – Arkansas State University-Beebe has restructured the Vanguard Discovery Camp this year to accommodate campers to continue following social distance guidelines, while still enjoying the creative and interactive aspects of the camp experience.
The Virtual Vanguard Discovery Camp (VDC) sessions will all be held online this year and are free. The courses will be offered in two camp sessions: Monday through Thursday, June 1-4 and Monday through Thursday, June 8-11.
Participants may register for any or all courses offered. The full schedule, including dates and times, will be emailed to the registrant the week before camp begins. The registrant will be able to login to each course to participate during that week’s sessions.
Virtual VDC courses for week June 1-4 include: Backyard Ecologist taught by Jake Marquess, ASU-Beebe, associate professor of biology; Stream Team Biologist taught by Stephen O’Neal with Arkansas Game & Fish Commission; Police Academy taught by Chris Brown with Cleburne County Sherriff Office and Mike Watson, ASU-Beebe Campus Police; Fire Academy & First Responder, taught by Heber Springs Fire Chief Jason Robitaille and Regional Director of Operations for Survival Flight Shane Keasler; Emergency Medical Services, taught by ASU-Beebe EMS Program Manager Justin Allen; A Taste of El Salvador and a Multicultural Art Project, an art course originating in Indonesia, both taught by Amber Bramlett, ASU-Beebe instructor of education; Art’Tastic Experience ASU-Beebe Assistant Professor of Art, Thomas Fernandez; and Taking Care of Our Natural Resources by Lowell Myers with the Little Red River Foundation.
Virtual VDC courses for week June 8-11 include: Underwater Bugs in Our Streams, taught by Bob Verboon with the Foothills Chapter of the Arkansas Master Naturalists and then join Arkansas Flyer Fisher in learning Fly Tying; Radio Broadcasting, sponsored by 101.9 The Lake KSUG Radio with Ali King and Billy Morgan; Sounds of Frogs & Toads, taught by Becky Pierce with the Arkansas Foothills Master Naturalists; Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas, with Kenley Money; Intro to Veterinarian Science, taught by Dr. Ryan Sartain; Something Smells Fishy, taught by Bo Davidson and JJ Gladden with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission; Outdoor Education, taught by Trent Whitehead, Corporal with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission; Intro to Meteorology, taught by Christopher Pipkin, from Quitman and weekend meteorologist with WVUA 23 News in Alabama; Intro to 3D Printing, with high school students Cristina Welsh and Shawn Stone; Making Accidents Disappear: A Safety Magic Show, taught by Scott Davis and sponsored by First Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas; Pollinators, taught by Leslie Fowler with Arkansas Monarch and Pollinators; Wildflower Press, taught by Erin Pierce from Organized Chaos Collection in North Little Rock; and Create Your Own Terrariumat at Home, also taught by Erin Pierce.
Virtual Vanguard Discovery Camp will be conducted using the Zoom interactive online platform. Participants will need to have the Zoom app installed on their own computer or device that has a microphone and camera for discussion and sharing of work. The participant will also need to have access to a reliable internet connection. Participants who enable their own camera or microphone will agree to being viewed by other participants, camp staff, and instructors. Recordings of the camp may be shared afterward and may be used for advertising purposes on social media and the ASU-Beebe website.
Participants should have paper and pencils ready for each camp to take notes and jot down questions. Additional supplies may be needed if participants wish to follow along at home for some individual courses. Those lists will be emailed the week before camp.
For detailed camp descriptions or to register, go to: https://asubcommunity.ticketleap.com.
For more information, call (501) 207–6249 or (501) 362-1205.
Vanguard Discovery Camp debuted in 2018 offering courses in science, technology, engineering, art and math (S.T.E.A.M.). The focus of the modules is to introduce the next generation to the world around them in a fun and interactive way, while also providing exposure to vast career fields and technology concepts.