Over 100 students Kindergarten through 6th-grade from all around the area came together at Holmes Park Elementary this week to participate in “Camp Invention,” a day camp that last four days and provide a “fun, fun, safe, and open-ended experience for campers to learn hands-on STEM activities while helping them build their problem-solving skills,” according to a press release from Sapulpa Public Schools.
“STEM provides an opportunity for students to take what they learn in math and science class and apply it to the real world,” said Megan Cannon, Camp Director and Sapulpa Public Schools STEM Coordinator. “STEM lends itself to a student’s natural curiosity and often it’s not about a right or wrong answer, it’s about working together to figure out the best solution to a real problem.”
Camp activities included “Road Rally,” where children apply nature-based discoveries to design their own unique vehicle; “Duck Chuck,” in which campers create and launch rubber ducks to far-flung locations around the globe to reconstructed landmarks and put trajectory, velocity, and geometry to practical use; “Open Mic,” where campers discover the fascinating components inside of a microphone and get to take home a microphone of their own; “Solar Bot,” where students build and adopt their very own solar-powered cricket. They experience a cricket’s point of view as they design habitats, cricket-inspired inventions, and protective gear to outsmart predators. In addition to these, campers took part in Camp Invention Games, using teamwork, cooperation, and coordinated skills where creating problem-solving skills are emphasized over winning or losing.
Normally, the camp is $265 per student, but a gracious donation from the Bartlett Foundation reduced the cost to just $55 per student. Claudia Bartlett, who was present at the end-of-the-week showcase, talked about how much it meant to her. “STEM education is really important, and I’m just so glad that so many students were able to attend,” she said.
Cannon said in addition to being a fun and exciting way to spend a week at school, it was crucial to help keep their minds sharp during the two and a half month summer break.
“Educational camps like Camp Invention help students get ahead in their learning by challenging them to think in new, creative ways,” she said. “This type of thinking can then be transferred into the classroom starting in August when school resumes,” said Cannon.
Cannon says that the ultimate indicator for success is when they see the campers take the lessons they’ve learned at camp and apply them to everyday life, wherever they return to school.
“If students walk away from Camp Invention with more confidence in asking questions and being curious, then I think we’ve done our job.”
