ACTC Offers Science Math Summer Youth Camps

Science, engineering, technology and math are features of new summer youth camps at Ashland Community and Technical College.

Each one-week camp for elementary to middle school students provides activities that stimulate the imagination and encourage creativity while building essential skills for life in the 21st Century.

These camps are at the Roberts Drive Campus, and enrollment is limited on a first-come basis. To register or receive more information, contact ACTC Lifelong Learning, 606-326-2072 or 800-928-4256 ext. 62072, email: as_LLL@kctcs.edu.

Camp Invention

Camp Invention for children entering first through sixth grades will be held June 18 to 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A nationally acclaimed program led by local educators, Camp Invention encourages children to discover the fun of science . This years Envisoion Program has four modules of daily activities.

Inventeureka encourages creativity and innovation as students take a fantasy trip through time to explore invention history and then build their own inventions. They will explore principles of flight and light as they adapt and modify their inventions.

The Magnetropolis module is an island adventure in which students design and engineer ships to search for an island, navigate to the island, rebuild the island and use magnetic force and electricity to light the island.

In the I Can Invent: Balloon Burst module, students invent fantastical machines by repurposing parts from broken machines. Younger students focus on building inventions that burst water balloons and then create a marketing campaign for their creation. Older students design and create multi-step, balloon bursting Rube Goldberg-type machines.

The Action and Adventure Games module combines physical activity and creativity. Students modify traditional games, using available materials and nontraditional approaches, to create completely new games. The students play approximately four fun games a day as they practice teamwork, cooperation, coordination and creative problem solving.

Camp Invention is a partnership between ACTC Lifelong Learning and Invent Now, a non-profit organization that encourages innovation and the creative spirit. The fee is $210, and registration is online at campinvention.org.

Robotics Camp

The Hyper Peppy Robotics Camp gives students ages six to 13 the chance to build robots, learning about technology and engineering through hands-on activities.

Students will learn about the mechanical drive system, circuit board, microphone and other elements of robotics. Each robot will have a sound activator, so that it starts moving with a clap of the hands, and a sensitive touch sensor to help it go around obstacles.

In addition to their building their own robots, students will build other robots as a part of a small group. They will also investigate the effects of robotic technology on our lives in the future.

Robotics Camp will be held July 9 to 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The $150 fee includes materials for the robot.

Science Projects Camp

Make It and Take It Home Science Projects, a new camp for youth ages six to 13, shows how much fun science can be. Students will complete wide assortment of projects designed to teach science concepts in a hands-on way.

Projects include growing a crystal tree, making an energy bead bracelet and watching the beads turn from white to a rainbow of colors, building a working electric motor, and making bubbling blobs silly putty, glowing goo and green flubber.

Make It Science Projects will be held July 9 to 13, from 12:45 to 3:45p.m. and the fee is $150.

Math Camp

Using math in real life situations can be fun, and math skills are important to learn. Math Camp on June 11 to 15 will take students in second to fifth grades from Ho Hum to Oh Wow.

Students will decipher mystery messages, solve riddles and work on projects such as starting and running a business, planning a rescue mission to another planet, going on a scavenger hunt, taking the measurements needed to build a house and helping the tooth fairy plan a budget.

Math Camp is centered on national and state educational mathematics standards. Mathematic concepts to be covered include algebraic thinking, measurement, data collection and interpretation, numbers in base ten models and geometry.

Classes are 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. for second and third graders, and 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. for third and fourth graders. The fee is $15.