For the fourth consecutive year, West Virginia University Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources will be hosting a series of summer camps as part of its outreach program. The success of the program has led to its expansion, which includes an Engineering in Entertainment camp in June and a Makers Camp in July.

The six Engineering Challenge camps feature five, week-long camps for high school and middle school students and a week of half-day camps for elementary school students. High school campers have the option to stay overnight in a WVU residence hall and will have evening activities led by the camp counselors, who are WVU engineering students. The middle school camp is one week of day camps and the elementary camps are half-day camps.

The new camps are the result of feedback received from previous campers, said Cate Schlobohm, outreach coordinator in the Statler College.

“Our new maker camp will allow high school students to use 3-D printers, turn earbuds into Bluetooth capable headphones and develop some basic programming skills,” Schlobohm said. “The Engineering in Entertainment camp will showcase how engineers are involved in producing movies, music and more.”

For curriculum, fee information and to register, go to www.statler.wvu.edu/camps.php. Space is limited.

The co-ed Engineering and Entertainment Camp for high school students kicks off the series on June 21-26. Campers will explore the engineering behind the special effects, music and technology used in the entertainment industry, allowing them to participate in hands-on experiments, games and competitions.

The Engineering in Action co-ed high school camp, slated for July 5-10, will feature tours of the West Virginia Black Bears new stadium, led by faculty from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who will discuss the science behind stadiums. Campers will investigate the science and engineering behind zip-lining, cycling and sports equipment design.

The popular middle school camp will be held July 6-10. The day camp will give students the opportunity to learn the engineering behind many exciting professions including astronaut, racecar driver, zoologist, stunt person, surgeon, architect, chemist and more.

The Statler College will host its third-straight STEM all-female high school camp July 12-17. Designed for girls interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the camp will have an engineering focus, but will also demonstrate how a career in engineering can be tied into forensics, pharmaceuticals, beauty product development, design and architecture and more. Campers will meet and work with female faculty members and female alumnae on design projects and various competitions.

The new Maker Camp, scheduled for July 19-24, will allow students to build their own electronic devices including microcontrollers, fully functional single board computers and more. Campers will be tasked with solving hands-on engineering-related challenges that will encourage them to work together and use creativity to find unique solutions to real-world problems.

During the week of July 27-31, elementary-aged students can participate in five differently themed half-day camps. First through third grade students will go to camp from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., while fourth and fifth graders will attend camp from 1-5 p.m. Themes for the week include “I Spy Day,” where campers will discover the world of biometrics; ”’Truss’ Me Day,” which is focused on civil engineering; and “Holy ‘Mole’-y Day,” which features a chemical engineering theme.

-WVU-

mcd/03/05/15

CONTACT: Mary C. Dillon, Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
304.293.4086, Mary.Dillon@mail.wvu.edu

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