UMaine Summer Camps Offer Education, Recreation
Contact: Paul Stern, (207) 581-1082, George Manlove, (207) 581-3756
ORONO — Don’t let the name CAD Camp scare you.
CAD Camp, offered at UMaine for youths July 10-15 is a lot of creative fun, says camp director Karen Horton, associate professor of mechanical engineering technology.
It’s just one of a dozen summertime activities at UMaine that combine education, recreation and interpersonal skills.
Though CAD (computer assisted design) is using engineering software to create three-dimensional designs, this camp is for young people with a wide range of computer skills, from beginners to experts. During the week-long camp, students learn their way around the artistic application of CAD software, starting with basic shapes such as slabs, spheres, cones, cylinders and wedges and then adding color, texture, light variations and shadows. They can build art from photographs or any other digital image.
While more sophisticated computer assisted designs can include three-dimensional views of, say, buildings, highway overpasses and even clothing patterns, it all begins with the creativity Horton and colleague Claude Junkins, a cooperating lecturer in mechanical engineering technology, introduce to their UMaine students to during the school year — and younger students at CAD Camp.
CAD Camp is offered in partnership with the university’s MaineBound recreational program, and campers spend mornings designing custom-made artwork with CAD software and afternoons in a kayak, swimming, hiking or learning rock climbing in the MaineBound Adventure Center or learning trust and leadership skills on the MaineBound challenge course.
The program is available to anyone between grades 9 and 12, but Horton is trying to introduce young people who might not normally consider a career in engineering to the basics of engineering.
“I want to reach out to underrepresented groups — girls, minorities and financially disadvantaged campers,” she says. “We’re not focusing on those campers who are known to have an interest in engineering. This is for kids whom might like to try it.”
Whether they commute or choose to stay on campus for the week, CAD Camp campers begin their day at 8:30 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m.
A sample of student artwork from last summer’s CAD camp is available on the CAD Camp website.
Students, Horton says, love the program and many of the private businesses that support CAD Camp financially like the camp goal of making engineering exciting and accessible. The program’s long range goal is to broaden interest in engineering, particularly for Maine youths who may pursue the field at UMaine and pursue an engineering career in the state of Maine.
For additional information, visit the website or call Horton at 581-2136.
Here is a list of other summer camp activities at UMaine:
Youth Adventure Day Camps: challenge course, paddling, hiking, rock climbing, for youths ages 8-12 and 11-16, June 20-24 and June 27-July 1. Contact UMaine Campus Recreation Maine Bound at 581-1794 or visit: http://www.umaine.edu/campusrecreation/specialeventscamps.asp.
Summer Sports Camps: June 20-Aug. 5, for boys and girls of varying ages; Camps teach technique, game strategies. Visit:
www.goblackbears.com/camps or call 581-2267.
Summer Art Camp, at Norumbega Hall, Bangor, for grades 1-8, weekly morning sessions, June 20-Aug. 12, taught by professional art educators who base activities on the art on display in the museum. Call 561-3350 or visit: http://www.umma.umaine.edu/education.htm.
National Youth Sports Program: six weeks of teamwork, skill development for boys and girls ages 10-16, June 27-Aug. 4. Contact Diane LeGrande, 581-2466, about eligibility.
Maine Summer Youth Music Camps, Junior Camp (Grades 6-8) July 10-15 & Senior Camp (Grades 9-12) – July 17-29, a variety of experiences in instrumental and vocal music for residential or commuter campers. Call School of Performing Arts, 581-4702 or visit: http://www.umaine.edu/spa/navbarcamps.html
Young Authors’ Camp, July 11-15, UMaine, Aug. 1-5, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, for grades 3-12; July 11-15 at Benton Elementary School for grades 1-12. In morning sessions, students explore writing and composition. Call 581-2438 for more information.
Journalism Boot Camp — fun, intensive training for high school students, July 20-22. Contact Shannon Martin, 581-1281 or visit: http://www.umaine.edu/mcsj/linkedpages/conferences.html
Adventure Sports Day Camp, July 25-29, combines traditional sports games with outdoor activities, including canoeing, kayaking and mountain biking, plus climbing in the MaineBound Adventure Center. Two camps, for boys and girls ages 7-12 and middle school students, grades 6-8. Emphasis on fun, leadership skills, sportsmanship and motor skills development. Contact Campus Recreation, Memorial Gym, 581-1082 or visit: http://www.umaine.edu/campusrecreation.