STEAMTrunk

08/19/2026

Wow! This amazing high school student found a solution through nature and we couldn’t be more impressed. Girls rock STEAM!!

A teenage girl in Hawaii just found something scientists never noticed 🍄. Vera Wang, a senior at Kaiser High School, discovered that fungi living naturally on coconut husks can break down plastic and sunscreen. Working in scientist Anthony Amend's lab at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, she found that tannins inside the coconut fibers actually encourage these powerful fungi to grow. Her research even revealed species that do not match anything in the world's largest gene database, meaning she may have found life forms never recorded before.

This matters because plastic pollution and chemical runoff from sunscreen are damaging oceans every single day 🌊. A high schooler proving that nature already holds solutions is genuinely moving, and it reminds us how much power curiosity can have. Her work earned top honors at the 2026 Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair and a spot at the International Science and Engineering Fair. Sometimes the biggest discoveries start with someone simply asking why 🔬.

📌Sources: University of Hawaii System News
Hawaii News Now,EurekAlert

08/03/2026

We’re so excited for camp starting tomorrow!! What a line up of fantastic mentors and projects we have this week for the girls and the new STEAM Center at Camp Arroyo Grande is looking amazing!! Deborah and Jim Love and other volunteers are bringing the vision to life.

07/21/2026

We’d like to introduce you to camp mentor Heather Hoff. We can’t wait to learn about nuclear energy through some very creative projects with her! Don’t miss out on this and so many other exciting opportunities at camp this year! Registration for camp closes very soon and we have just a few spots left.

Heather Hoff has a 23-year career in nuclear energy at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant where she was a reactor operator and now writes procedures for Operations. She has a materials engineering degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

She cares deeply for both the natural environment and humanity, and believes nuclear power is necessary to enable people to overcome energy poverty while also living in concert with the Earth that supports us. Along with Kristin Zaitz, she founded the non-profit organization Mothers for Nuclear in 2016, where she works to share her knowledge and experiences with people who are less comfortable with nuclear power, particularly mothers and women. They advocate for clean energy, focusing on the protection and expansion of nuclear energy around the world. Mothers for Nuclear was profiled in The New Yorker, https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-activists-who-embrace-nuclear-power

Heather is actively involved in professional societies such as Women In Nuclear and the Association of Women in Water, Energy, and Environment. She supports her community by routinely volunteering with nuclear educational outreach, building nature trails, and native habitat restoration. Heather spends time in nature, hiking, exploring, and traveling, and her daughter helps inspire her passion for environmental action.

07/18/2026

Calling all girls ages 8-12, that are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math!!
STEAMTrunk’s popular STEAM for Girls camp will be held August 3-7, at Camp Arroyo Grande, 9am - 12:30, optional swimming offered Tuesday - Thursday following camp.
This year we will be exploring architecture, art, atoms, aeronautics and wildlife in camp. Each day with a woman mentor in that field. Girls will be involved in hands-on projects, creating and building, hiking and swimming.
Space is limited, so sign up soon.
For registration forms and more information, visit our webpage at http://steamtrunk.org/steam-for-girls-camp/
If you have any questions, please reach out to me at [email protected].

07/14/2026

Every day is a fun packed day filled with creativity at STEAM for Girls camp!!

07/08/2026

At camp the girls were extracting DNA and using candy to make DNA models. Learn by doing with super fun experiences is one of our goals at camp! Sign up your girls ages 8-12 who are interested in science, tech, engineering, art, and making! We have so many new adventures planned so don’t miss out. Registration still open for August 3-7th, at Camp Arroyo Grande. Check out our website to register, http://www.STEAMTrunk.org

07/02/2026

It’s that time of year again and we have so many new adventures planned for the girls at STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math) for Girls camp!! August 3-7, day camp, ages 8-12. Register soon as space is always limited and fills up quickly, plus registration will be closing in a few weeks so don’t miss out!!

We are very happy to introduce a new mentor to camp L. Joann Moore, who will be leading a fine arts day.

Check out her bio:

Areas of Expertise:
Beginning Design
Environmental Design
Architecture Practice
Acrylic painting
Watercolor
Sketching

Education:
B. Arch, NAAB, Cal Poly SLO
A.S. Geology, SB Community College

She teaches Architecture at Cal Poly SLO since 2002 and at Cuesta College since 2001.

She is the Principal/Owner/Designer at Moore Design Studios, and an active artist,

http://www.ljmooredesigns.com

and was a designer at Habitat Studio in SLO plus co-founder and designer at Virtual Reality Design. She is on the Advisory Board Architecture Dept. at Cuesta College since 2020.

Wow! Our campers are in for a real treat!

06/29/2026

Calling all girls ages 8-12, that are interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math!!
STEAMTrunk’s populate STEAM for Girls camp will be held August 3-7, at Camp Arroyo Grande, 9am - 12:30, optional swimming offered Tuesday - Thursday following camp.
Each day a woman mentor will share with campers some things about herself, her field of expertise, and lead them through a related project.
Space is limited, so sign up soon.
For registration forms and more information, visit our webpage at http://steamtrunk.org/steam-for-girls-camp/
If you have any questions, please reach out to me at [email protected].

2026 Camp - PAY NOW STEAM for Girl's Camp When: August 3-7, 2026 Time: 9am - 12:30pm Location: Camp Arroyo Grande Optional: Stay for Swimming - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 12:30pm-2pm STEAM for Girls Registration Form STEAM for Girls Camp, (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math),...

05/16/2026

See you this Sunday at Camp Arroyo Grande! https://facebook.com/events/s/camp-arroyo-grande-5th-annual-/1973666523249966/

05/13/2026

Sunday May 17, 2026 from 11am - 4pm
https://www.facebook.com/100092405821464/posts/925910583832461/?mibextid=wwXIfr