Robotics Camp campers Alek Gorski, Schuylkill Haven, left, and Michael Pace, Frackville, watch as they move an airplane from a tower onto a landing pad Thursday during their challenge mission scenario, Nature’s Fury, at the Robotics Camp at the Schuylkill IU 29-Mar Lin Campus. The 4-day camp for fifth- to eight-graders is a hands-on robotics course challenging campers to build and program a LEGO “MINDSTORMS” robot to accomplish specific tasks.
MAR LIN — Using just LEGOS and an iPad, middle school students were able to program their robotic creations to perform a variety of tasks this week as part of the LEGO Robotics camp at the Schuylkill Intermediate Unit 29.
“It’s a great entry point into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education,” Vince Hoover, co-leader of the camp, and supervisor of mathematics and district support consultant at the IU 29, said.
Fourteen students participated in the camp, he said. It was open to students in grades five through eight.
“Right now, there is push for STEM education,” Hoover said. “The workforce in the world we live in is changing and they need to be prepared for the future. If they are not exposed to this, they might not know about careers in computer engineering or computer science. It is good to be exposed to different career paths.” Read More…
