by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
Is your child interested in designing a small, motor-powered vehicle that zooms? If so, then Camp Invention might be a good summer option for your child.
Camp Invention is a week-long science day-camp program that is returning to the College of St. Benedict for its ninth year this summer.
The camp is for students entering grades one through six. The week-long experience encourages children to discover their own creativity and inventiveness through hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics and helps children engage their brains during months they are usually not attending school classes.
Last year 72 children participated in the St. Joseph camp.
Susan Clarke is the camp’s regional consultant.
“Camp Invention is designed to spark children’s interest in science, technology, engineering and innovation,” Clarke said. “If they discover early that the STEM-related subjects are fun, they are much more likely to pursue those subjects as they get older. The focus on creativity, problem-solving, teamwork and group decision-making in the Camp Invention curriculum also helps them develop valuable skills that they will use in school and later in life.”
This year’s camp program is MORPHED. It features the Super Go module, which allows participants to design a small, motor-powered vehicle. Along, the way, children collect energy coins to build bridges, tunnels and ramps for the Super Go Road Rally.
Camp participants will receive personalized challenges from National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees during the Design Studio: Morphed module. With the Amplified module, children invent bionic gadgets while journeying for superhuman senses. At the I Can Invent Pinbug module, children use tools and electronics to build an insect-themed pinball machine.
During the camp, children work together to find solutions to real-world problems. They rotate through four classes each day, working on various challenges, some individually and some in group settings.
Together, they come up with ideas, test and make group decisions, and evaluate and revise their ideas.
“Camp Invention inspires children to be confident in their natural ability to dream and create,” Clarke said. “Our programs are designed to reflect the spirit of invention, inspired by the inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame.”
The camp at CSB will be directed by Missy Tellinghuisen, taught by qualified local teachers and will have a one-to-eight staff-to-student ratio. High school and college students will help guide groups through the four daily classes.
Even if a child has participated in the camp in past years, he or she can benefit from new challenges at this year’s camp.
Students who are entering grades seven to nine can register as counselors-in-training to gain leadership experience.
The camp is a program of the national non-profit Invent Now and was created in partnership with the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
More than 83,000 elementary students in more than 1,500 school programs in 49 states participated in last year’s Invent Now.
Camp Invention at CSB is scheduled for June 23-27. A discount is offered to those who register by May 16. To register, call 1-800-968-4332 or visit www.campinvention.org for more information.
contributed photo
Camp Invention, a week-long science day program, is coming to the College of St. Benedict again this year. These children attended last year’s camp and are using tools to take apart broken appliances to discover how they work.
contributed photo
These children attended last year’s camp and invented a “duck-chucker” to launch rubber ducks at a target. The camp is scheduled for June 23-27. A discount is offered to those who register by May 16.