News

GSSM, SC Technical College System Partner to Host Summer Camps for Rising 6th – 8th Grade Students

February 12, 2024

HARTSVILLE, S.C. (Feb. 12, 2024) - The South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) and the South Carolina Technical College System (SCTCS) are partnering to offer summer day camps across the state for rising 6th – 8th graders.

Throughout the summer of 2024, GSSM will offer its summer camp, GoSciTech, in three formats: day, residential and virtual. In June and July, GSSM will partner with 10 technical colleges, which will serve as sites for the STEM-centered, GoSciTech Day. During this four-day camp, rising 6th - 8th grade students develop their problem-solving and teamwork skills while exploring engineering, technology and the life sciences. The SCTCS partnership supports GSSM’s mission to bring world-class STEM education to students across the Palmetto State.

“Partnering with the South Carolina Technical College System exemplifies how two public educational institutions can collaborate to provide students a continuum of exceptional education and impact students of all ages,” GSSM President Danny Dorsel said. “Together we will educate the workforce of the future.”

Participating technical colleges serving as host locations for GSSM GoSciTech Day camp include: 

Central Carolina Technical College (June 17-20)

Denmark Technical College (June 24-27)

Florence-Darlington Technical College (June 24-27)

Greenville Technical College (June 17-20)

Horry-Georgetown Technical College (July 8 -11)

Midlands Technical College (June 17-20)

Northeastern Technical College (June 10-13)

Spartanburg Community College (June 10-13)

Technical College of the Lowcountry (July 8-11)

York Technical College (June 10-13)

"Our colleges across the state play a crucial role in their communities, providing affordable, accessible, and relevant education,” said SC Technical College System President Dr. Tim Hardee. “Teaming up with the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics enhances our impact, allowing us to offer outstanding educational opportunities for the community and shape South Carolina’s future workforce."

Each GoSciTech Day camp is designed by the GSSM Outreach Center team who partner with talented local teachers and other professionals to deliver a transforming world-class education to students. GSSM GoSciTech Day camps provide a fun and collaborative environment where hands-on STEM learning is celebrated. Students choose from a variety of topics, empowering them to interact with peers as they grow as scientists and engineers.

“Our goal each summer is to deliver STEM learning experiences that provide young learners with opportunities to apply what they learn in their daily lives and encourage them to explore careers and post-secondary majors in the STEM fields,” GSSM Sr. Vice President for Outreach & Global Initiatives Randy LaCross said. “Delivering our 2024 GoSciTech Day camps in partnership with South Carolina’s technical colleges helps us accomplish this goal.”

In addition to GoSciTech Day, GSSM offers GoSciTech Residential and GoSciTech Virtual to provide a variety of STEM education options to families across the state this summer. 

GoSciTech Residential is a six-day camp on GSSM’s Hartsville campus for rising 8th - 10th grade students. Students choose from more than 20 unique STEM courses that are taught by GSSM instructors, college professors, or industry experts. Students will experience the Govie life while they live in GSSM residence halls, conduct experiments in labs and eat in the dining hall.

GoSciTech Virtual is a five-day camp, where rising 6th - 10th grade students learn virtually through the internet. Instructors lead live daily sessions, and students collaborate with their peers while exploring STEM through at-home projects.

Need-based financial aid for GSSM summer camps is available. The deadline for financial aid and early-bird registration is Monday, April 15.

Application deadline to apply for all summer camps is Wednesday, May 15.

For more information on GSSM’s summer camps, visit scgssm.org/camps, email camps@scgssm.org or call 843-383-3958.

- GSSM –

About the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics

One of the few specialized public residential high schools of its kind, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) exists to push motivated young learners beyond their perceived levels of academic ability. Founded in 1988 under the leadership of the late Governor Carroll Campbell, GSSM has consistently raised the bar for STEM education in the Palmetto State. GSSM’s two-year residential high school program—as well as its virtual high school program, summer camps, and outreach programs—all invite young people to explore the subjects they love in a diverse, inclusive, and uncommonly supportive academic environment. Here, challenge is viewed as a gateway to opportunity. GSSM students embrace the school’s rigorous approach to education and in so doing begin to realize their full potential. Learn more by visiting www.scgssm.org.

About the SC Technical College System

Comprised of 16 colleges located strategically across the state and two internationally renowned statewide programs, readySC™ and Apprenticeship Carolina™, the SC Technical College System is dedicated to furthering economic and workforce development in South Carolina. The System offers affordable, accessible, and relevant workforce education and training programs that are innovative, technologically advanced, and life-changing for current and future generations. Learn more about the System by visiting www.sctechsystem.edu.