RCSJ Foundation Celebrates its Third Annual ACE-Celerate! STEM Summer Camp

Vineland — The Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) Foundation in partnership with Atlantic City Electric (ACE), the Exelon Foundation, and the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Project, welcomed 40 Cumberland County high school students for its third annual ACE-Celerate! STEM Summer Camp. The free two-week day camp ran the weeks of August 11 – 15 and August 17 – 21, encouraging students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) at RCSJ's Cumberland Campus.

Since 2023, RCSJ and Atlantic City Electric have partnered on a three-year STEM grant, bringing together over 140 students for an engaging learning experience focused on collaboration, problem-solving, and discovering how STEM shapes the world around us. Students are presented with hands-on learning, interactive challenges, and real-world STEM examples.

Subscribe

Dr. Brenden Rickards, president of RCSJ, said, "The success of this year's ACE-celerate! STEM Summer Camp is a testament to what can happen when education, industry, and community come together with a shared vision for our students. These young people had the opportunity to explore STEM through hands-on experiences, connect with industry professionals, and envision themselves in future careers. We are proud to help inspire the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders right here in Cumberland County."

At the 2026 Blue & Gold Gala, Atlantic City Electric was named as the RCSJ Foundation's 2026 Business of the Year. In celebration of this ongoing partnership, ACE will continue collaborating with RCSJ and welcome another group of Cumberland County high school students to its annual ACE-Celerate! STEM camp next summer.

Sarah Palese, director of the RCSJ Foundation and Alumni Relations, shared how the program has expanded, "Three years ago, we created a great camp experience built around energy and STEM. Today, ACE-celerate! has become something bigger than we ever expected - a program that kids want to return to year after year, and one that families have come to know and love. Students are walking away with connections and doors open to them that might not have felt possible before, and getting to watch that happen has been incredible."

Palese continued, "None of this happens without Atlantic City Electric, who keep trusting us with this every single year, and it doesn't happen without my colleagues here on the Cumberland campus either — Facilities, IT, Operations, everybody pitches in to make this real. We took an idea and built it into something that's genuinely changing kids' lives. I'm proud of every student who's come through this program, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here."

Curriculum for ACE-Celerate! comes from The NEED Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization that provides energy education programs that inspire learning, leadership, and innovation.

Mary Spruill, executive director of The NEED Project, explained the benefits of this community investment.

"We are extremely excited about this partnership with RCSJ, Atlantic City Electric, Exelon, and The NEED Project. We have put together a curriculum that allows students to better understand energy in their houses, energy in their communities, energy around the world, and the various careers available. We are spending time making them more informed energy consumers and to become members of tomorrow's energy workforce."

This year, students embarked on field trips to ACE's Training Facilities in Mays Landing and The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, providing students with visual demonstrations for career opportunities in STEM.

Alix P., a Vineland High School 11th grader, shared, "I feel like my favorite camp experiences were the field trips. I learned a lot from both. At the ACE Training Facilities trip, they had us look at different career options that I had never known about. It helped me elevate my knowledge."

Nana O., a Cumberland County Technical Education Center (CCTEC) 12th grader, explained how ACE-Celerate! offered more insight into the career field he wishes to pursue after high school.

"The camp has brought a lot of opportunities to meet people who know a lot about cybersecurity. I love to ask them different questions about internships, what their careers are like, and what programs I can be involved in to further achieve my goals."

Students also attended a Lessons in Leadership panel discussion, where they heard from ACE leadership and asked questions regarding their career goals. Featured ACE panelists included:

• Andrew Hendry, Regional Vice President

• Nichole Fernandes, Director of Corporate Community Impact

• ShayLa Salter, Manager of External Affairs

During the panel, Andrew Hendry offered students advice on what traits to exhibit when interviewing for a job.

"Show you have intellectual curiosity – that you want to broaden your knowledge. That's something where, when I interview people [it's important to demonstrate] an eagerness to learn."

Another takeaway from the discussion included how leaders view failures as lessons to be learned from.

Panelist, ShayLa Salter, explained, "You have to reset your mind to not think about things as failures, but opportunities for growth. I believe the second you start doing that, you don't sweat the small stuff as much."

"You're not going to have it all figured out," panelist, Nichole Fernandes, added, stressing the importance of resilience. "It's okay that things feel uncomfortable sometimes, but sometimes you have to reach out for help when you don't know what you're doing. Leverage your resources and be patient with yourself."

As ACE-Celerate! concluded its third year, students proudly showed off what they had learned, presenting energy innovation projects they designed throughout their two weeks at the camp. Projects included: Exploring Energy – Solar Oven and PV exploration, Climate Science and Greenhouse, Wind Blade Challenge, and more.

Cody Miller, executive director of the RCSJ Foundation, reflected on the community impact of ACE-Celerate!.

"Seeing some of these students grow professionally and academically over the last three years of this camp, especially with some of our returning students, has been incredible. This camp and our partners are providing opportunities to Cumberland County students that may not otherwise have had. Watching their curiosity, confidence, and skills grow makes me confident that the future in the energy sector is bright. These young minds will be the ones helping lead the way as we work to meet New Jersey's growing energy demands."

Through community collaborations like ACE-Celerate!, the RCSJ Foundation provides the necessary support to ignite student innovation and accelerate futures. For more information about the RCSJ Foundation, visit RCSJ.edu/Foundation.