A local woman is bringing a popular enrichment program to the area.

  • Challenge Island franchise launches in St. Petersburg 
  • Program to get kids interested in STEAM
  • Camp allows students to work together, use 21st century skills

Leah Rise started the first Challenge Island franchise in Florida about six months ago.

"It’s kind of Are you Smarter than a Fifth Grader meets Survivor,” Rise said. “So when the kids come in we separate them into tribes and they perform challenges that are all STEAM based, 21st century skills, leadership."

The goal is to get kids interested in STEAM—science, technology, engineering, arts, and math—with hands on collaborative activities.

According to a Kent State study, science and engineering jobs are expected to grow to 8.6 million by 2018. Challenge Island hopes to bridge the gap and inspire students at a young age.

“We encourage the leaders to come, the architectures and the creative types as well to have a voice,” Rise said.

This week, Challenge Island hosted a Harry Potter themed camp at The Canterbury School in St. Petersburg. For one activity, campers had to build catapults from Popsicle sticks to play a Quidditch game.

"You had to see which way, if you should do it horizontal or vertical and you had to figure out what sticks you should use and how big rubber bands you should use,” seven-year-old Jamie Hale said.

Hale said the camp is so much more fun than school because, “I think it’s because there’s no math, there’s only fun stuff."

“For them, they are playing Quidditch for Harry Potter, but they are going to have to build the catapult, they are going to have to work together, launch it,” Rise said.

Challenge Island is being offered at different camps around the area this summer and will be in after-school programs at 15 different schools this upcoming school year.