Accelerating Youth at the Velocity Center

For families in and around Indian Head, one of the most exciting parts of summer learning may be closer than many realize. The College of Southern Maryland’s Velocity Center at Indian Head is not just a building along the highway. It is a local hub for innovation, hands-on learning, and community opportunity, operated by CSM as a place where education, creativity, and collaboration come together. The 13,000 square foot facility sits just outside the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division, and supports learning and workforce development for our region.

This summer, that mission becomes especially meaningful for local families through Kids’ & Teen College at the Velocity Center, where students ages 7 to 10 can explore engineering, robotics, coding, and creative arts in a setting that is right here in our own town. For a community that continues to talk about opportunity, growth, and investing in the next generation, this is the kind of program that deserves real attention.

What stands out most is not only the subject matter, but the access. CSM says the Velocity Center summer offerings include limited scholarships covering 80% of tuition, a detail that could make a real difference for families who want enriching STEM experiences for their children but have to weigh every summer expense carefully. That kind of support helps turn a good program into a more reachable one.

The classes currently highlighted for the Velocity Center are all scheduled for July 6 through July 10. They include Elementary LEGO Engineering for Kids from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for $195, STEM Robotics and Coding: LEGO WeDo 2.0 from 1 to 4 p.m. for $195, and STEM Academy with Creative Arts from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $299. CSM describes these classes as hands-on, team-based learning experiences that introduce students to concepts like simple machines, sensors, motors, coding, robotics, and creative problem-solving.
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That matters because the Velocity Center itself already reflects the future-facing potential of Indian Head. CSM describes the site as a place for innovation, learning, and collaboration for academia, the Navy, and the broader community. It also includes a makerspace and additional programs for kids, teens, and community members, which helps reinforce that this is more than a one-week summer camp site. It is part of a larger investment in local talent, curiosity, and possibility.

The broader Kids’ & Teen College program at CSM serves youth ages 5 to 17 and includes offerings in music, theater, dance, and STEAM, led by CSM faculty and industry professionals. CSM also notes that families can choose from full-day, half-day, and multi-week packages, which shows a wider effort to make youth enrichment more flexible for working households. Even so, for us here in Indian Head, the local significance is clear: one important branch of that opportunity is happening right here at Velocity.

In a small town, access matters. Distance matters. Visibility matters. When a child can encounter robotics, engineering, coding, and creative exploration without leaving Indian Head, that lowers barriers in a way that feels practical and hopeful at the same time. It gives families a nearby option. It gives young learners a chance to discover new interests. And it gives our community one more reason to see the Velocity Center not only as an asset, but as a living part of our town’s future.

Parents who want to learn more can find the program through CSM’s Velocity Center Kids’ & Teen College page. CSM says interested families may also contact Dr. Tony Warrick, Director of Community Enrichment, Kids’ & Teen College and Personal Enrichment, at awarrick@csmd.edu

For Indian Head, this is the kind of story worth sharing. It is about education, yes. But it is also about access, local opportunity, and the simple but powerful idea that young people in our community should be able to explore big futures close to home.

Together, we build a better Indian Head.