STEAM Camp provides Spring Break activities

Apr. 2—THOMASVILLE- Thomasville Center for the Arts is partnering with Georgia Institute for Technology to provide STEAM camp for students during Spring Break.

The curriculum has students learning about Cynatopye photography, which is a camera-less technique that involves laying an object on paper coated with a solution of iron salts before exposing it to UV light and washing it with water to create stunning white and Prussian blue images.

"It's the earliest form of photography," Community Arts Director Brittany Shiver said. "The kids will get to go outside and expose their photographs."

Before exposing their photographs, campers created collage works of sunsets and sunrises.

"They were delightful," Shiver said. "We have everyone from 1st-5th grade with two engaged, enthusiastic instructors who matriculated through the program themselves."

Shiver went on to say the youths have been really happy and excited to also engage outside of the classroom during their outdoor time in the afternoon.

"They get some time in nature to collect natural-based items to use in their projects throughout the week," Shiver said.

The items can be used in their remaining tasks, which include prism light art, kaleidoscopes and spectroscopes.

"They will be using a 3-dimensional prism to make and explore light through a flashlight," she said. "They will then make art based on that."

According to Shiver, the camp was grant-funded by the Bradan Lane Foundation, which contributes to public charities that support underprivileged youth through STEAM education and programs with the curriculum developed by researchers at Georgia Tech.

"They collaborated with me for the lessons," she said. "They created curriculums based on their research of science, light and art."