Whiz Kid: Noah Carver Selected For ExxonMobil Science Camp

“I have always wanted to be an inventor when I grow up. My basement is filled with all the inventions and prototypes I have made,” Noah Carver wrote in his application essay to the Exxon Mobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp.

“I hope to invent something amazing that will change the world for the better," he continued. "I think that this summer camp will help me, because I can talk with college professors and I can work with other kids like me and together we can find answers to some of our questions."

Noah is 13 years old and a rising eighth-grader at Sandy Run Middle School. This summer, he was one of 50 students accepted into the two-week Exxon Mobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp sponsored by Temple University, held at Gwyneed Mercy College.

“The Exxon Mobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp is a summer camp with math and science activities and field experience,” said Dr. Doug Baird, camp facilitator.

Bernard Harris, an astronaut who became the first African-American to walk in space in 1995, started these summer camps at the University of Houston, where they have been running for many years.

With the partnership with Exxon Mobil, Harris was able to expand to other campuses nationwide. The camp at Temple is one of 25 and is in its fourth year.

“We want the students to increase their skills and knowledge in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and math. We want them to enjoy themselves while they’re doing so, and we want them to think about taking science courses in high school and to think about STEM majors in college,” said Baird. “We want the students to be exposed to a college environment—we want to get the students excited about going to college.”

Noah heard about the camp from his school’s guidance counselor, Kathy Gillespie.

“I was interested in this camp because I wanted to meet more people who have an interest in science like I do. I wanted to learn with people who really care about science and who want to grow up and be scientists or engineers, like I do,” said Noah.

To get into the camp, Noah had to fill out a long application, have his school give the camp his grades and test scores, tell the camp about his school activities and achievements, and write an essay.

Students must have at least a B average to be admitted into the camp.

Noah’s mother, Debbie Carver, said the faculty member who read the applicants' essays told her that Noah’s paper was the deciding factor in his acceptance to the program.

“What they don’t do at camp is sit around and hear a lot of lectures,” said Baird. “We want them to be actively engaged. They do a lot of laboratory experiments.”

One experiment the students performed was to burn snack foods to see how many calories are in them. The students then went on a vigorous walk to see how much exercise they would have to do to burn off those snack foods.

The students also dissected a perch—a freshwater fish—and a squid.

For Noah’s final project, he studied how to make medicines.

“I learned about the molecular structure of aspirin, how it is made, the history of aspirin, how it was discovered, how it is different from other painkillers, and how it works to relieve pain,” said Noah.

The students even made aspirin and Tylenol from simple chemicals.

Bernard Harris also paid a visit to the camp.

“When he visits, there is a competition among the campers. This year's was to build a space suit swatch,” said Baird.

The students had to develop a 14-layer swatch that could withstand the environment in space using household objects.

“They are doing six to eight hours of science and math activities a day. The activities are designed to be exciting. They’re hands on and engaging ... They really have a lot of fun at the camp, as well as do a lot of science and math,” said Baird.

For Noah, being at camp was a “dream come true."

“I have really great memories and new friends,” said Noah about his time at camp. “I got to meet kids from all over the city from different backgrounds. It made me look forward to college when I will meet more people who love science, even people from all over the world. Now I know that I really would like to get a Ph.D., and I am thinking more about what type of science I want to do when I grow up.”