Innovation, Engineering for Youth among Summer Camps at UMaine
Contact: George Manlove, (207) 581-3756
ORONO — The University of Maine is offering a variety of summer day camps, workshops and special events geared toward engaging Maine’s youngsters and introducing them to an exciting environment of creativity, innovation, invention and adventure.
A more complete list of other summer camps and events at the University of Maine is available at the Summer Youth Programs website.
Here are three designed to offer young people a simplified introduction to innovation and engineering concepts.
Maine Summer Transportation Institute
The Maine Summer Transportation Institute, July 13-24, with full scholarships for up to 20 middle school students from the greater Bangor area, is designed to introduce area students at an early age to the jobs and careers available in Maine’s transportation industry, and also to expose them to UMaine engineering education and university life.
Students participate in field trips, leadership and team-building activities, and a series of age-appropriate workshops and hands-on laboratory experiences, all related to transportation mode, safety, and products, alternative fuels, construction materials, and computer-assisted design. Students also will participate in recreational activities at the new Student Recreation and Fitness Center.
Participants will be selected on the basis of interest, academic achievement and recommendations from their school administrators. The majority of the day-long activities, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., will be offered at the Bion and Dorain Foster Student Innovation Center and other nearby campus facilities. For details or registration information, contact Sheila Pendse in the UMaine College of Engineering at 581-2225, or visit the program website.
The institute is cosponsored by the Maine Department of Transportation, the UMaine College of Engineering and the Federal Highway Administration.
Innovation Adventure Day Camp
New this year is the Innovation Adventure Day Camp, July 27-31, a week of creativity and invention combined with outdoors adventures, including canoeing, a climbing wall and the MaineBound challenge course. Activities are planned from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and exposes participating youngsters in grades 3-8 to various aspects of inventiveness and problem-solving, along with outdoor adventures.
Students will be challenged to invent cool products ranging from new snack foods, using a wide variety of available ingredients, to a new board game or a card game. They’ll test their creations on other campers and figure out what works and what doesn’t — all the while learning how inventors come up with new ideas and inventions.
The program is a partnership between the Foster Innovation Center, MaineBound Adventure Center and Campus Activities. Registration information, including cost, is available by calling Jesse Moriarity at 581-1427 or visiting the Foster Student Innovation Center website.
Computer Assisted Design/Adventure Camp
CAD Camp, July 5-10, lets encourages participants in grades 9-12 to mix their interests in computers and the outdoors with a week of creativity, new friends and adventure inside the classroom and out. Students will be introduced to computer-aided design (CAD) by designing something uniquely their own.
Outdoors activities will be coordinated through MaineBound adventure activities, including a climbing wall, canoeing and a ropes and challenge course.
Students can be housed on campus or may commute.
For more information or to register, call Karen Horton, associate professor of mechanical engineering at 581-2136 or visit the program website.
CAD Camp is co-sponsored by the College of Engineering, Maine Department of Transportation, Bentley Systems, Inc., UMaine Campus Recreation and the American Society of Civil Engineers.