The 2025 STEM Camp at Northwestern Oklahoma State University took place from June 1-6 on the Alva campus, welcoming 29 high school students in grades 9-12 from across the state to engage with the theme of “Renewable Energy, The Future is Here: Exploring & Learning Today.”
In partnership with NextEra Energy, the world’s largest producer of renewable energy, High Plains Technology Center of Woodward, OG&E, and a grant from the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, the camp provided students with a week of hands-on learning experiences in the fields of wind, solar and hydroelectric power.
Throughout the week, students engaged with Northwestern faculty and students, industry professionals and technical experts to explore renewable energy technologies. Among students attending were Tyriauna Hankins and Trinity Nero, both of Newcastle.
Activities for the students included designing and testing wind turbine blades, measuring solar energy output with photovoltaic panels, working with renewable energy training devices (including micro-inverters and energy storage systems), experiencing simulators, climbing towers and viewing the inside of an operational nacelle.
Students also took several educational field trips. They went for a guided tour of the Spirit Wind site near Mooreland, visited the High Plains Technology Center in Woodward, and took a trip to Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom.
Camp staff included Dr. Tim Maharry, professor of mathematics and chair of the mathematics and computer science department; Mark Bagley and Evan Vaverka, instructors of computer science; Dr. James Auld, Terry Benton and Casey Heiser from NextEra Energy; and Northwestern students Coy Bullard, Carter freshman; Greysan Loerger, Jet junior; Ashlan Light, Enid junior; and Lindsay Olson, Alva senior.
