This summer, 22 DSST 10th graders got the opportunity of becoming Campos Scholars. They participated in a four-week summer program through the Campos Foundation, where they were able to take a deep dive into the realms of chemistry, physics and calculus.
Guided by DSST and CU Boulder faculty, these scholars didn't just attend classes—they tackled rigorous lab projects, engaged in stimulating discussions and solved complex problems. As part of the program, each student also received a free Chromebooks and a $500 stipend. Students who complete the program after three summers will be automatically admitted to CU Boulder and will be eligible for a full-ride, last-dollar scholarship.
Collette Bonhomme, DSST: Cedar ‘27, said the program gave her a chance to get a taste of engineering.
“My favorite part of this program was how challenging it was. This really made me need to think harder about every aspect of every problem,” Bonhomme said. “I think it will help me a lot in the long run with my academics and with my career interest.”
Edome Semu, DSST: Cedar ‘27, found the program instrumental in narrowing down her engineering interests.
“I’ve always been interested in engineering, so I’m just getting to know which branch of engineering I want to do,” she said. “This has been really helpful because it’s been challenging and it feels like it’s preparing us for actual engineering school.”
For DSST: Green Valley Ranch student, Ryann Sanders ‘27, engineering is more than a career, it’s a passion that has been passed down for generations.
“I got the love of engineering from my mom,” Sanders said. “It started with her dad, and it got passed down. She’s a mechanical engineer, and I want to be a structural engineer. I just get to see and experience what she does and it’s really interesting.”
As director of the Campos Foundation, Deanna Campos-Miller, seeing the enthusiasm, engagement and interest from the students made providing them with such an opportunity even more fulfilling.
“We wanted to give these students the opportunity to come together and have access to some extra math and science work so that they can get to the level they need to be to succeed as engineers,” Campos-Miller said. “They went through all kinds of obstacles to get here, that to me is a real sign of their respect for the program and for our investment in them. It’s been a really great experience for us as a foundation to put our resources in such a worthy organization and cause and students.”
Matt Davis, a physics and AP physics teacher at DSST: College View High School and one of the DSST teachers who taught classes in this summer’s program, brought his passion for making complex subjects accessible and fun.
“The program provided a way for me to take something that they will absolutely have to do if they go into a STEM field and show them that it is doable at any level,” Davis said. “I wanted to challenge them a little bit and push them, but also have fun with it.”
Seeing all the pieces that he had taught the students over the four-week program come together on the final day was the most exciting part for Davis.
“My favorite day was today. Today was the culmination of everything that we did over the four-week program,” Davis said. “I have marble launchers. I’d shown them all of the math throughout the four weeks, and yesterday we figured out the initial velocity. Today, I made them put it all together, do the math and launch a marble into a pie tin. One group nailed it in one shot! It was so rad to see their eyes light up and everyone around them get excited and all they did was just do a little bit of math.”
Looking ahead, the dream for the Campos Scholars program is clear: to continue this enriching program and cultivate a new cohort every four years, eventually creating a network of Campos Scholars who will return to mentor future students.
“That would be the goal for that full-circle, give-back kind of moment.”
Davis said the experience was fantastic and he is excited for next summer.
“I can’t wait to do it again next year,” he said. “This is at the core of why I became a teacher – to find pathways for everybody, to find a high-quality science education for everyone and all means all.”