Words by Anna Lee Vaughn | Images by Justin Hunter
Local 15-year-old Karmen Luts is hosting a STEM Camp for fourth through eighth-grade girls. This camp is Karmen’s way of giving back to the community as she works toward earning the rank of Eagle Scout.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program by the Boy Scouts of America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. Karmen first became interested in the Scouts because of her brother, and when the program became open to girls in 2019, she jumped at the chance.
“I got to see my little brother do all these fun things like camping, tying knots, and cooking outdoors, and I wanted to do that, too. So, when they announced that they were going to have girl troops, I joined one. I’ve been enjoying it ever since,” says Karmen. “A big part of being an Eagle Scout is community service. Scouts go through different ranks, and Eagle Scout is the final rank. An Eagle Scout project is a great way of helping your community while achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.”
To achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, Karmen must complete a community service project. Upon discovering that only 28% of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) workforce is comprised of women, Karmen decided to put her love for science to work and do her part in promoting STEM to young girls in the community.
The Catalyst STEM Camp will take place at The Trace Church in Jasper on Saturday, February 24, 2024, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. STEM professionals from the Society of Women Engineers at the University of Alabama at Huntsville (UAH) will be in attendance, as well as a robotics specialist.
Campers will participate in activities such as making binary code friendship bracelets, bridge building, and interacting with women professionals in the STEM field. Parents can click here to register their child and complete the permission form.
Karmen’s road to becoming an Eagle Scout has been over four years in the making, and she plans to continue hosting camps to promote the importance of women in STEM. Karmen’s goal is to show other girls that no matter their interests, they can accomplish anything. WL
