Each summer, Community College of Philadelphia hosts the Jr. STEM Summer Camp, a monthlong day camp for middle school-aged students to explore topics in science technology, engineering and math. This program exposes students to viable STEM careers through fun and hands-on activities. This year, the group was able to explore STEM through work on a production of “Aladdin Jr., the Musical.” They also got to see the professional show on Broadway in New York City during a field trip.

This summer’s program consisted of five separate learning tracks: performing arts, robotic engineering/set design, 3D printing/prop design, drones/lighting and special effects and coding/costume design. Students in each of the modules work directly with our trained instructors to see firsthand how STEM concepts can apply to contexts like designing and performing in a musical. And, they get to make valuable connections with other campers and instructors in the process.

A rising sixth grader in the set design track, Wilbert worked on design for the Cave of Wonders scene. Wilbert’s favorite part of the camp experience was seeing firsthand how his work could enhance the performance. He also really liked learning to code using Legos. “Basically, it was like coding blocks, and you just put them together and when you click ‘start’ it makes it move. There are motors inside the Legos,” Wilbert said.

Students in the coding/costume design track got to work with another coding technology called Adafruits. Hagar, a rising fifth grader, said she coded some of the actors’ costumes and props so they would light up at certain points in the show.

Hagar also loved that the instructors were open to hearing what ideas the campers had to contribute to the production. “I recommended putting the Adafruit inside of the clothes or like covering it up with the cloth,” Hagar said. She was excited to find that her instructor loved the idea and implemented it into the plans for costume design.

Another rising fifth grader, McKenzie, was in the performing arts track and starred as the Genie in the production. “It was fun! I got to meet new people, and I made new friends,” McKenzie said. While McKenzie has acted in other theatre productions before, she enjoyed getting to act in a totally new role this time. “I had to be a lot more energetic or a lot, like, funnier, basically.”

Stephanie Austin-Johnson, the program’s director, was so excited to introduce the musical production to the program this year. “This was the first year we used the musical as our culminating program,” Stephanie said. “We were very pleased with the outcomes and will be revisiting it next year with our rendition of ‘The Wiz.’” Stephanie is proud to unite the concepts of STEM with the world of the arts for these students. “Our more arts-inclined students were able to witness STEM in their space,” she said. “Art students often shy away from STEM, perceiving it as a cold and boring field. However, through this program, we demonstrated that STEM can be creative, fun and engaging.”

After four weeks together, the campers ended their program with their performance in front of friends, family and guests in the College’s auditorium. The students kept the spirit alive on stage and showcased their hard work, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes.

CCP is proud to offer this program to help expose students to the value of STEM and the opportunities that follow. You can learn more about CCP’s Jr. STEM Academy here. 

Adopt-A-School Tutor Spotlight: Destiny Dotson

Destiny Dotson is a Nursing student at Community College of Philadelphia who anticipates graduating in spring 2026. She is currently part of our Adopt-A-School program, where she works with students at William H. Ziegler Elementary School.

Read on to learn how this experience has impacted Destiny!   

Q: What motivated you to join the Adopt-A-School Program?

A: I chose to join the Adopt-A-School Program because I love working with kids and it was a good opportunity to gain additional experience. It also helped in a time where it was difficult to find gainful employment that aligned with my school schedule.

Q: What has been one of the most rewarding aspects of working with K–12 students?

A: I would have to say the most rewarding aspect of working with K–12 students was knowing that what I was doing was adding some form of value to their life, and it made it even better seeing the smiles on their faces when I walked into the classroom.

Q: What skills have you gained or strengthened through your experience in the program?

A: Honestly, one thing I can say about being in the Adopt-A-School Program is that it has truly helped me develop more patience and helped me to be more empathetic with younger generations.

Learn more about the Adopt-A-School Program and how you can get involved.

The newly unveiled works of Sosena Solomon mark the first time a commissioned contemporary film series has been on permanent display in the Arts of Africa galleries of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Philly filmmaker’s 12-part series encourages viewers to connect with African cultural landmarks as they explore the galleries.

“They’ve never done this before,” said Sosena, a Philly filmmaker and CCP adjunct instructor. “It’s very exciting to know that this is the first time that the Met has engaged in films in the Africa galleries in this way. This is as permanent as their artifacts.”

Created in partnership with World Monuments Fund and the Met’s new Arts of Africa galleries, the 12 films highlight important African cultural landmarks in sub-Saharan Africa. Sosena directed and filmed the entire series over the span of two years and covered landmarks from Great Zimbabwe to Tsodilo Hills, Botswana.

The idea, Sosena explained, was to provide cultural content that connects to the physical artifacts in the galleries.

“By displaying the architecture, the rituals involved, the caretakers, the local communities, we wanted the Met viewers to go on this journey to these really miraculous places,” she said. “I get to share this very sacred experience with the world. To have that kind of engagement and to see the response of people really feeling the impact of the films, I’m really proud. It’s just magical.”

Sosena was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and moved to the United States at a young age. Her parents are from Ethiopia, and she grew up in a traditional Ethiopian home in Maryland before moving to Philadelphia for undergraduate studies.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Television Production from Temple University and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree in Social Documentary Film from the School of Visual Arts in New York. She has been making documentaries for the past 15 years.

When not creating stunning films for the Met, she teaches Digital Video Production at CCP and she lectures the University of Pennsylvania. Sosena previously taught at University of the Arts in Philly.

“I came to Philly for undergrad and never left,” Sosena said. “It’s so hard to leave Philly. It’s such a great town, and it’s such a great place to cultivate the practice (of filmmaking) because there is a really great film community here that’s not New York and it’s not LA, but you can access those places from here.”

The collaborative critique sessions and hands-on approach of her education inspired her to get into teaching. Sosena credits her professors and mentors—many of whom are now her colleagues—for elevating her craft.

“I try to cultivate that in the classroom,” she said. “All of my classes are very hands on and project based. We are on a journey through making, and I find that the students always grow. And that’s what I love to cultivate in my classroom.”

She took a moment to marvel at the talented students she teaches at CCP.

“The students are so engaged and really want to tell very particular stories that matter to them that are part of their environment,” Sosena said. “There’s a real vigor. They come in, and they have stories to tell.”

To her, filmmaking is not only a tool for sharing information, but also “a way to go on a journey with people.” That’s something Sosena tries to impart to her students and something she feels she achieved with her series at the Met.

“I feel like I gave the world something with this,” she said. “I think that’s why we become storytellers and creators and artists. Because we want to tell the world something and to show the world something.”

Learn more about Sosena Solomon and her work on Forbes Africa, Essence, and metmuseum.org.