East Aurora Advertiser

Exploring a world of opportunity




<p class=”p1″>A nationally-recognized enrichment camp is coming to Warsaw to help young students combat the “summer slide” and immerse themselves in science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning. </p><p class=”p7″>The Warsaw Elementary School will be hosting Camp Invention from Monday, Aug. 6 to Thursday, Aug. 9. Using hands-on activities, Camp Invention promotes STEM learning, builds resourcefulness and problem-solving skills, and encourages entrepreneurship through a fun and engaging environment. The program is open to local students and beyond in kindergarten through sixth grade. </p><p class=”p7″>“With the technology that’s out there today, this is really giving the kids a leg up and showing them some of the career opportunities they might have in future,” said Pam Eley, library media specialist at Warsaw Elementary and director for the local Camp Invention. “It’s a great camp, it’s something different. This is my third year doing this and several kids come back year after year.”</p><p class=”p7″>The theme for this year’s camp is “Fast Forward,” wherein students will be working on innovations for the future, Eley said. Over the four days, the students will take part in four hands-on activities, rotating through each daily:</p><p class=”p3″> </p><p class=”p8″><strong>1. Robotic Pet Vet™</strong></p><p class=”p7″>Throughout this module, campers nurse their robotic puppy back to health. Eley said the students will receive their own plastic dog that has had a part removed. The students must identify what is wrong with the dog. Students will also receive a “perfectly healthy” dog to decorate. Eley said this is her favorite part of the camp. </p><p class=”p3″> </p><p class=”p8″><strong>2. Mod My Mini Mansion™</strong></p><p class=”p7″>Campers will dream up and design their very own futuristic smart home filled with gadgets, LEDs, technology and innovations.</p><p class=”p8″><strong>3. Stick To It™</strong></p><p class=”p7″>Campers will invent something new every day as they explore what it is like to be a physicist, engineer and entrepreneur. Young innovators will invent, make and craft solutions to real-world challenges by building their own prototypes and discovering that anything is possible. Eley said this part of the program will use magnetic slime. </p><p class=”p3″> </p><p class=”p8″><strong>4. Optibot™</strong></p><p class=”p7″>Campers will create their own Optibot — a small self-driving robot that senses changes in light. </p><p class=”p7″>“It looks like a little car,” Eley said of the Optibot. “The students create a city with the mansions (smart homes) and the robot cars travel around the city. They literally create the city.” </p><p class=”p3″> </p><p class=”p7″>Aside from the STEM activities, students also have a time during camp to wind down and go outside to play. </p><p class=”p7″>Eley said Camp Invention sends all necessary supplies to Warsaw for the program. Cost per camper is $225; it does not cost the school anything to host the STEM camp. </p><p class=”p7″>The $225 can be offset by scholarships. Local organizations also help downsize the cost of camp. These include the Tiger Support Network parent-teacher organization, Perry Rotary, Kiwanis and Morton Salt. </p><p class=”p7″>There is no cap on the number of students who can enroll in the camp. Eley said that over the past four years, the Warsaw camp has hosted anywhere between 24 and 35 kids annually. </p><p class=”p7″>As of Monday, July 30, 29 children had registered for the 2018 session — students can sign up all the way through Aug. 6. Students enrolled this year are not only from Warsaw, but Letchworth, Perry, Wyoming and Attica central schools, as well. </p><p class=”p7″>The curriculum from Camp Invention is also adapted for both younger and older. Eley said there is a group of kindergarteners and first graders and another for the older students. She will also receive some help in the realm of directing the program.</p><p class=”p7″>Fourth-grade teachers Sarah Boyer and Morgan Savino will serve as counselors. Those in seventh through 12th grade can participate as counselors in training. Eley said two seniors volunteer to be counselors each year. </p><p class=”p7″>In hosting the camp for what will now be its fourth year, Eley said her favorite part has been watching the children discover new ideas.</p><p class=”p7″>“Watching them be so excited about it, I love it. It’s just fun to watch them learn and experiment and problem-solve, and to do things they don’t necessarily get to do during the regular school day.”</p><p class=”p7″>Camp invention has been serving students since 1990. More than 1.3 million children and 125,000 teachers and interns have taken part in the program, which is hosted by 1,600 districts nationwide. The nearest school district that will also hold the camp this year is Springville. </p><p class=”p7″>For more on Camp Invention, see campinvention.org/</p>

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