Hawkins student attends STEM camps at Oxford, other universities

Ninth-grader Charlotte Mullins spent part of her summer at Oxford University — not as a student, per se, but as a camper in an experiential STEM program. Mullins has attended these camps — through the company Worldstrides — for several years, although this was her first summer abroad. The programs pair with colleges across the U.S. and beyond, hosting campers of all ages. Mullins was first nominated into the elementary-aged program by her then-third grade teacher and neighbor, Kim McCann. "I remember Charlotte was a quiet student, yet when you planned hands-on learning in any subject, you saw a change in her," McCann said. "As a teacher, I believe it is crucial to a student's learning to understand what drives each one. What sparks their interest? What type of learning offers the biggest opportunity to learn? What can I do to keep my students interested in learning?" That summer, Mullins spent a week at the University of Memphis, learning through experiences like dissecting a calf's heart. In the following summers, she went to Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Northwest University in Seattle and Villanova University near Philadelphia. She took medicine, forensics, robotics classes and more. In Oxford, she majored in engineering and minored in photography. They would have classes for their major every day except Sunday, and for their minor every other day. In the engineering classes, Mullins did activities like visiting the Bridge of Sighs, talking about how it works and then building a model bridge herself. There'd also be lectures and guest speakers from different engineering specialties. Campers — there were about 50 of them — would also explore the city: attending the orchestra, eating out for lunch and watching World Cup games. For Mullins, it felt like a sneak peak at real college life, albeit with a buddy system and a curfew. After her Oxford classes were done, Mullins stayed on for the program's Paris extension, where they saw the typical tourist sights. Now a student at Volunteer High School, Mullins continues to take engineering classes. While graduation is a ways away, she said she wants to go to college to be a mechanical engineer. McCann said she's proud to see what Mullins has accomplished throughout the summer STEM programs. "As a teacher, it makes me happy to have had a small part in her education, her learning and this wonderful experience," McCann said, "My heart if full of pride for her and her supportive family."