AURORA — Inside the walls of the Aurora Fossil Museum Learning Center, science happens.

The inaugural IMAGINE-NC camp at the Aurora Fossil Museum is in full swing, striving to teach children about the world of science and math.

“I’m exhausted, but I can’t stop smiling,” said Cynthia Crane, executive director of the museum. “They get exposed to things they never would’ve been exposed to before.”

Aurora Fossil Museum was awarded a three-year, $175,000 grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund as part of the Student Science Enrichment Program. The museum used the funds to implement two, one-week STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) camps for children in the community.

IMAGINE-NC stands for “Integrating Mathematics and Geology in Eastern North Carolina.” Crane said activities range from analyzing rocks and minerals, to sampling soils and learning about landforms and phosphate, to estimating the size of a great white shark.

The first week of camp, which wrapped up earlier this month, was designated for middle schoolers. The second, designated for mostly third- through fifth-graders, finishes on Friday. The grant also allows for four weekend activities during the school year.

Crane said the camp saw low participation this year, but organizers are hoping for higher numbers next summer.
“Low numbers the first year, that’s what we’re supposed to have. A camp of this caliber hasn’t happened here before. … Next year we will have pictures and more background to promote the different activities,” Crane said.

The camp is a collaborative effort; it’s made up of local educators in Aurora, geology professors from East Carolina University and volunteer graduate and undergraduate students from East Carolina University. Together, the team makes what Crane calls “the dream team.”

“It is not all me. It takes a team of people. I’m just so proud of this museum,” Crane said.

Alfred Mays, program manager at Burroughs Wellcome Fund, said the museum was up against 150 competitive applicants.

“My first glance on paper was that this was a mom and pop shop, but I can look around and this is no mom and pop shop,” Mays said. “This is a heck of a collaboration.”

Crane said many of her colleagues told her it would likely take several years of applying for the grant to be successful, but the museum was awarded the grant after its second try.

Crane said she hopes the camp will help young people branch out in many different careers in their futures.

“If I’m remembered for one thing at this museum, I want it to be this camp,” she said.