In partnership with Carteret County Public Schools and local community organizations, STEM Pathways offers fully sponsored, week-long summer camps for Carteret County middle school students at the Duke University Marine Lab.

Throughout the week, campers explore the coastal environments in their own community through hands-on science, field observations, nature journaling, storytelling, art, resilience activities, and scientific inquiry. High school interns serve as near-peer mentors alongside college Environmental Educators, helping campers investigate scientific questions, build relationships, and gain confidence exploring STEAM.

Each week also includes field trips to Rachel Carson Reserve, Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center, and Cape Lookout National Seashore, connecting what students learn at the Marine Lab with the ecosystems and communities around them.

The week culminates in a collaborative shadow puppet performance, where campers transform their scientific observations into creative stories about species and ecological interactions.