Recent News

OU ARCHITECTURE SUMMER CAMP GETS AN AWESOME! RESPONSE

NORMAN- Middle school students from across Oklahoma, Texas and even Florida came to experience Awesome! Green Summer Camp, a unique camp created by OU Outreach and the University of Oklahoma College of Architecture.

The turnout for this year’s camp nearly doubled the participation of previous years. Students had a chance to see what happens in all five divisions of the college through hands-on activities throughout the week. The Awesome! Green City students came with a willingness to learn and left with a plan for the future.

Awesome! Green Summer Camp was designed to “expose the students to the different, yet interwoven, divisions in the construction industry,” said Marjorie Callahan, associate dean of Undergraduate Programs in the College of Architecture, adding that this year, thinking “green” also was a focus.

Students were eager to get their hands on all of the activities planned throughout the camp. One student called the camp “a lot of fun!” The student also matter-of-factly explained that she would like to pursue this field when she goes to college.
Students moved to a different division daily, beginning with planning their city and envisioning possible landscapes. Next, the students architecturally designed their building and determined the construction cost. Taking a floor of their building, the students then designed the interior with software used by current OU interior design students and selected material finishes for the project. Students worked hard, yet seemed to have fun in the process.

“I was blown away on the wonderful results, both for the camper and faculty involved,” Callahan said, noting that the students seemed to enjoy actually getting their hands on each activity rather than just learn about it.

Awesome! Green City 2009 is a part of Horizons Unlimited, offered through OU Outreach. Horizons Unlimited is a one-week intensive program for academically gifted and talented youth who enter grades six through eight in the fall. For more information about future summer camps organized by OU Outreach, visit www.youth.ou.edu.