The Sustainable STEM by the Sea (S³) Camp is designed to investigate how Gulf Coast youth engage in coastal data collection, interpretation, and application through immersive, place-based STEM education. The research team will present early findings from the first few months of camp implementation, including student-generated environmental datasets and accompanying educational outcomes. The S³ Camp engages 3rd–8th grade students as active contributors who collect field data on factors like water quality, biodiversity patterns, erosion indicators, and habitat conditions across a variety of coastal environments.

Preliminary patterns expected from the first phase include growth in students’ scientific literacy, understanding of human–ecosystem interactions, and emerging environmental agency. These outcomes will be examined through student-collected datasets, design-thinking products, teacher reflections, and pre-/post- learning measures. The synthesis of these data will illuminate how hands-on monitoring experiences—paired with problem-solving challenges—support the development of place-based understanding and locally relevant solution-building among Gulf Coast youth.

The presentation will also highlight lessons learned from the S³ Camp’s first phase, including strategies for managing diverse school schedules, integrating culturally grounded coastal phenomena into instruction, and building community partnerships to enhance authentic field experiences. The session will conclude with implications for scaling the project and outline the next steps for the longitudinal study. Together, this work demonstrates the promise of youth-generated environmental data in strengthening coastal resilience education and showcasing the value of learning in nature across the Gulf region.