ESTEAM Camp at Sorensen Park 2025, Mission Accomplished

Lake Los Angeles, CA.– Stephen Sorensen Community Regional Park – The ESTEAM 2025 youth based program at the park was hugely successful, meaningful, productive, character building and many other descriptive words would apply.

Led by educator Mrs. Lauren Lee and supported by Carlita Spears and Marinette Edmonds, Recreational Service Leaders and Park Aides Gbonju Adepoju, Bertha Alcantar and Monica Mickey, forty-five children experienced classroom instruction and field trips to remember and gained lifetime skills while having a fun filled summer at home in their own park.

Mrs. Lee, a teacher with the Palmdale School District, has been with the Lake Los Angeles park over 20 years. She has been a supply vendor and program vendor facilitator. Mrs. Lee has taught etiquette, youth empowerment programs and during PAD she taught SWAG which is Strength Worth Attitude Growth and various curriculum based craft and experiments.

The students ranged from 6 years to 11 years, grade 1 through grade 6. There were forty-five students and a wait list. Mrs. Lee stated, “Each year the program expands and improves. The more feedback and participation we get, the program coordinators will provide more funding and resources.”

This ESTEAM Camp engages youth in interactive, hands on experiences that explore Environment, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (ESTEAM) in a fun and meaningful way. It is an 8-week program running Monday-Friday from 7:00am-6:00pm. The program fosters creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork while introducing campers to future career pathways and real-world applications. The parent orientation presented all of these goals to the parents and guardians.

The orientation documentation stated: “By making learning exciting and accessible, ESTEAM Camp is designed to help build confidence, strengthen social skills, and inspire lifelong learning, preparing youth for success in school, careers, and life beyond."

Each week was a “theme” week.

• June 16-20 – Galactic Explorers

• June 23-27 – Planet Pioneers: Green Ideas

• June 30-July 3 – Nature’s Mysteries: Journey through Time and Terrain

• July 7-11 – Detective Discovery: CSI & Science

• July 14-18 – Global Expressions: A Celebration of Cultures

• July 21-25 – Magic of Movies and Theater

• July 28- August 1 – Dream Builders: Imagineers in Action

• August 4-8: Design and Discover

Field Trips Galore! The exciting and educational field trips were The California Science Center, Santa Fe Dam, Natural History Museum, Raging Waters, Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios, Disneyland and Bonelli Regional Park. They also enjoyed Beaches and Harbor Day at the Marina.

The takeaway from this incredibly successful and fulfilling program is each and every child was fully engaged, they learned teamwork, practiced their teamwork skills daily and absorbed collaborative learning and critical thinking which were key aspects of the program.

The children expressed to Mrs. Lee how they loved being able to make new friends. It is important to know how to make friends. It is a vital aspect of our social lives and our personal feeling of well-being. Friendships provide a sense of safety, of belonging, support and comfort for all ages.