Photo Credit : U of R photography science and Camp : A Great Combination
Education Grad Student and EYES Coordinator , Ben Freitag ,
Regina-born Ben Freitag , a 2009 graduate of the Bachelor of Education After Degree ( BEAD ) program , current Master ’ s of Education student , and full-time coordinator for EYES , thinks there is nothing better than combining science and camp !
EYES ( Educating Youth in Engineering and Science ) is a science and engineering education program for youth in Grades 1 - 8 in Regina and southern Saskatchewan , hosted at the University of Regina . Ben started coordinating the camp one week after graduating from the BEAD program in 2009 . “ Combining science and camp seemed like a perfect idea to me ,” says Ben . His previous work with summer camps , year with Katimavik , along with his education gave him the qualifications and experience necessary to do this work .
As the EYES coordinator , Ben is responsible for writing grant proposals and finding sponsorships , preparing and scheduling school workshops , administrative duties ( budget , registration , etc .), hiring , supervising , and training staff , logistical organization of EYES programs , and he is the main liaison between the parents and staff . Ben also maintains the programs ’ s relationship with the Actua national office in Ottawa . Actua is a national network of science organizations . Ben says , “ We support one another because there are not that many science programs around .”
EYES runs year round with workshops for elementary schools in May and June , camps in July and August , school engagements in fall , and club in the winter months .
A new initiative that Ben finds exciting is the coding camp . “ Our mandate is to spark curiosity and to develop interest ,” says Ben . “ So far , EYES has been solid on science and engineering programs , but we wanted to add technology into the program .”
EYES camps develop positive self-concepts in youth towards science , helping youth believe in their ability to do science . “ This is challenging to do in schools , with a set curriculum , making it tough to reflect the dynamic nature of science ,” says Ben .
EYES hosts an all-girls camp as well because there is “ still a disproportionate number of females entering into science and engineering fields ,” says Ben . “ Our camp has been sold out every year that we ’ ve offered it .”
Since taking on his role as coordinator , Ben has seen the program grow to two and a half times what is was when he started .
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“ I love working with a team to create a powerful experience for kids . I love the creativity and being able to build new programs to address challenges .” ~ Ben Freitag
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By Shuana Niessen
Ben ’ s outreach work is focused on increasing the number of low-income , Aboriginal , rural , female , refugee and new-to- Canada youth attending the EYES science programs . “ We are trying to get an EYES camp within half an hour of everyone in southern Saskatchewan ,” says Ben . ( EYES ’ sister camp , Sci-Fi , takes care of the northern Saskatchewan .) Ben ’ s success in growing the program has meant that staff has also increased from 8 to 22 since 2009 .
Ben is passionate about his work ; “ I love working with a team to create a powerful experience for kids . I love the creativity and being able to build new programs to address challenges ,” he says . The highlight for Ben is working with the staff . “ They are amazing people , with passion and creativity .” EYES camp hires students , mostly education students , in the summer to teach the camps .
Ben is currently working on his master ' s thesis , which explores how ideas / concepts of science and technology change as EYES instructors ( university students ) gain confidence in teaching .
For Ben , the memorable moments are “ not the science shows or big explosions , but the smaller moments of seeing twenty kids chasing their instructors because of a game they made up .” �
Faculty of Education Education News Fall 2014 / Winter 2015 Page 13