MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - On Friday May, at the Meridian Mall, tinkrLAB received a check from the Meridian Township Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) for $2,000 to sponsor tinkrLAB's summer camp in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M).

At the May 3, MEDC meeting, tinkrLAB presented the S.T.E.A.M. Education Camps Program and sponsorship opportunity. Sponsorship supports S.T.E.A.M. education by providing scholarships to students who want to attend and could use help with costs. Eight students from Haslett and 11 students from Okemos have been nominated to receive scholarship monies to attend camp.

The Chair of the MEDC Jade Sims said, "In Michigan there is a lack of skilled labor and a lack of students going into that field of study. Encouraging that learning and opening their eyes to opportunities to those who are younger will get those students on that paths that much earlier. These are great opportunities and we need people in those fields right now and we need that for the future of the community."

tinkrLAB Owner Melissa Rabideau was excited about the sponsorship for her business for their upcoming Summer Camp. The sponsorship will go towards camp fees for students from Haslett and Okemos that our in need of financial assistance.

“Having the support from the MEDC is huge for not only us, but for the families and the kids this sponsorship will help,” said Rabideau. “S.T.E.A.M. programming is so important for kids to be exposed to and gives them hands-on discovery based learning which can lead to entrepreneurial endeavors which we are excited to support.”

tinkrLAB's Summer Camp will take place June 24 - 48, July 15 - 19, and July 22 - 26.