INSPIRING INTEREST IN STEM THROUGH SUMMER ROBOTICS CAMP

Summer camps provide an opportunity for children with similar interests to come together for a week, or longer, to gain a unique experience based upon those interests. These camps have been utilized as a means of increase student interest and awareness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This paper discusses the development, execution, and lessons learned from a robotics summer camp offered to campers from ages 7 to 13. This camp utilized a combination of visual lectures, build activities, and competitions to keep students engaged, teach them about various science and engineering disciplines, and have a fun experience. This paper discusses the background of this camp, the curriculum from the first two years of the camp, feedback from parents and children, lessons learned, and plans to develop a follow-on advanced camp for middle school and science students.