The following story originally appeared on the website for the W&M School of Education. – Ed.
Two returning pre-collegiate learning opportunities provided by the William & Mary Center for Gifted Education (CFGE) — Camp Launch and Camp Orbit — continued to grow this summer, reaching more students, strengthening existing community partnerships and fulfilling the School of Education’s mission to deliver programs that serve the Commonwealth and build just educational institutions.
Camp Launch, CFGE’s summer camp for high-ability middle and high school students from low-income backgrounds, had record enrollment this year, with 216 students from 27 school divisions. Camp Launch staff included 37 William & Mary participants: three faculty members, 23 undergraduate students, four graduate students and four Camp Launch alumni.
“Not only does Camp Launch impact its students, but it also positively impacts the William & Mary community,” said CFGE’s Director of Precollegiate Learner Programs Mihyeon Kim.
The camp provides service-learning opportunities for William & Mary undergraduate and graduate students, who work as residential staff members. The curriculum relies on partnerships between the School of Education, the College of Arts & Sciences and W&M’s Batten School & VIMS.
In addition, the involvement with many public school districts across Virginia promotes community-engaged service and allows W&M faculty and students to build meaningful relationships with K-12 educators. It also creates more equitable access for students who might not otherwise have strong exposure to research or lab experiences.
Throughout its existence, Camp Launch has continued to refine and enhance its engaging curriculum to better serve its students, offering a variety of learning tracks designed specifically for each grade level. Seventh graders took Stemming into Science as a STEM course, in addition to writing and personal development. Eighth graders could also choose among Lego robotics, anatomy, and physiology for their STEM course, and were required to take writing and personal development. The options for ninth grade students included geospatial analysis, coding, engineering, aerospace and marine science. 10th graders decided between marine science, physics and forensic science.
In their reflections on Camp Launch, students highlighted the value of the on-campus communal living experience, noting that dorm life fostered a strong sense of connection. They also appreciated the opportunity to bond with peers in group settings, describing the program as both fun and engaging with an amazing community atmosphere.
Rising 11th and 12th grade Camp Launch alumni had the opportunity to participate in Camp Orbit, a project that allows students to explore STEM careers through hands-on research and mentorship. They worked with professors from the W&M Geology Department and the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences & VIMS, who received a National Science Foundation grant to develop a predictive framework for determining which species will survive and which will go extinct over the next few centuries due to significant human-caused climate change. After days in the labs, the students took part in research methods classes and other seminars in the evening.
This summer, Camp Launch and Camp Orbit placed a greater emphasis on supporting student mental well-being with evening sessions featuring guided discussions about emotions, boundaries and self-care. Session activities focused on empathy, gratitude and resilience. In addition to these tools, campers had access to a designated quiet space.
After both camps had finished, Kim met with Camp Launch alumni to brainstorm ideas on how to get students more involved and connected to William & Mary. Because students only attend camp in the summer, the goal was to find ways to bring them back to campus more often throughout the year. Taking into account potential barriers like financial support and academic preparedness, the conversations led Kim to the conclusion that students needed to be continuously supported throughout the entire academic year, not just during the summer.
Throughout the 2026 academic year, Kim will be providing a mentorship program for students involved in the 2025 camps. Each student will be assigned to William & Mary mentors and Kim will visit these students throughout the year to check their progress. This year-long mentorship is slated to begin in January for its first round with ninth grade students.
“We try to continuously support students by building their confidence about their capabilities and providing community connections,” Kim explains. “I’m so excited to get connected with the students throughout the year.”
Camp Launch has dedicated itself to fostering a passion for STEM through academic enrichment opportunities for underserved students for over a decade. With its expanded curriculum and collaborative programs with other university departments, such as Camp Orbit, CFGE continues to serve educators and students, supporting the needs of gifted and talented individuals. Camp Launch’s success has been made possible by the generous support of Nancy Briggs Petters ’81, Mike M. Petters M.B.A. ’93 and the Petters Family Foundation.