August 9-11, 2023, Tina Harte Ballinger and Amy Ellisor of the GLOBE Goes to Camp team piloted a GLOBE STEM Camp at Hero Kids Foundation in Suffolk, VA assisted by Isaac Lee the Program Director of Hero Kids. Over 25 campers and 6 YMCA staff from the Armed Services YMCA in Virginia Beach, VA. joined in collecting of cloud, surface temperature, soil, and tree height data through the lens of "Environmental Stewardship". Campers loved the hikes through the forest and were amazed at the differences in the characterization of the soil in the forest as compared to that of an open meadow. The weather allowed for a perfect surface temperature investigation with one completely overcast day followed by a full day of sunshine. The campers were excited to see the differences in surface temperature between the two days. Members of the Hero Kids Foundation Executive Board, Dave McBride COO of Science Systems and Applications (SSAI), Frank Peri Chief Engineer at SSAI and Caitlyn Dreux Director of the Bahethi Foundation were there to support the effort and see for themselves the potential for incorporating GLOBE Goes to Camp in the future. The camp was such a success that there are plans for adding GLOBE Goes to Camp to Hero Kid Foundation's summer schedule as an annual event moving forward.
