Students wade a local creek as part of the Hydromania Summer Science Camp, hosted by Umatilla Electric Cooperative and sponsored by Amazon Web Services. UEC is taking registrations for the 2024 camps, which run Monday through Friday starting June 17.

HERMISTON — Area fourth- and fifth-graders were treated to hands-on explorations of science, water and electricity at the Umatilla Electric Cooperative’s series of Hydromania Summer Science Camps, held June 19 through Aug. 4 at Armand Larive Middle School in Hermiston.

And with Amazon Web Services serving as the corporate sponsor, campers had access to its Think Big Space at the SAGE Center in Boardman.

“AWS is thrilled to support UEC’s Hydromania Summer Science Camp, complementing the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) programming that has been inspiring students for so many years,” said Sarah Georgiades, head of AWS InCommunities for the Americas. “We strongly believe in the power of education to unlock human potential, and summer is a critical time when we need to continue engaging students in fun, educational experiences that activate their spirit of innovation and creative thinking.”

According to UEC, support from AWS was integral in providing the necessary staff, busing, equipment and special STEM-related exploration kits for each student.

“Education and leadership opportunities allow young people to grow and be active in their communities,” UEC Public Relations Manager Weston Putman said. “UEC has made it a priority to offer opportunities for our youth to foster the skills needed to become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Campers also met Brooke Kaschmitter, STEAM education advisor for the Port of Morrow, who facilitated a tour of the Think Big Space for a lesson in robotic coding. This allowed students to learn to write basic code and “teach” a mini robot to follow a custom-designed route.

Over the course of six weeks, 100 campers referred to as “Hydromaniacs” built models of a hydroelectric dam, learned about the life cycle of salmon, explored the inner workings of a modern commercial farm, coded mini robotic devices able to drive autonomously and toured national historic landmarks.

The UEC has facilitated the summer science camp for more than 25 years.

“We are excited to have this opportunity available to the youth in our communities,” program coordinator Amy Callan said. “Hydromania has now seen generations of students grow up and now send their children to attend this unique summer science camp. We are proud of the legacy of learning being fostered here and wish to thank all those who have made it possible.”

To commemorate the 2023 camp, UEC produced a video highlighting the people and partnerships bolstering it. The video is available on UEC’s social media channels.

Next year’s camp details will be available in April 2024 with applications opening in May. For more information, call 541-567-6414 or visit umatillaelectric.com.