Camp Invention Sparks Students’ Interest to Explore STEM

Camp Invention® introduces young innovators to invention and innovation in a way that makes them relatable and fun. In the new 2018 program, campers will design a vehicle of the future, take apart a mechanical robot dog to diagnose their puppy problems and build their dream smart home. At the end of the program, each camper will bring home two personalized robots!

“The Camp Invention experience is that invention is for everyone, and it is pure joy, collaboration and excitement,” said Radia Perlman, inventor of Robust Network Routing and Bridging and 2016 NIHF Inductee. “This is a lesson we should all hold for our entire lives.”

Camp Invention, a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), provides a unique experience for children to learn about the importance of Intellectual Property while exploring, creating and designing. Using hands-on activities, Camp Invention promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning; builds resourcefulness and problem-solving skills; and encourages entrepreneurship — in a fun and engaging environment. Annually, Camp Invention programs benefit more than 140,000 children and partner with nearly 1,700 schools and districts across the nation.

Each year, the program features a new curriculum inspired by some of our nation’s greatest inventors— the NIHF Inductees. This year’s Fast Forward curriculum features several video challenges from these Inductees encouraging children to be confident in their ideas and explore their ability to innovate. These hands-on modules include:

• OptibotTM: Campers will launch into the future with their own Optibot — a small self-driving robot that senses changes in light.
• Robotic Pet VetTM: Throughout this module, campers nurse their robotic puppy back to health and design and build dog parks as they hammer out ideas for the best park attraction.
• Mod My Mini MansionTM: Campers will dream up, design and build their very own futuristic smart home filled with gadgets, LEDs, technology and innovations!
• Stick To ItTM: Campers will invent something new every day as they explore what it is like to be a physicist, engineer and entrepreneur. Young innovators will invent, make and craft solutions to real- world challenges by building their own prototypes and discovering that anything is possible.

“We learn by experiencing things, not by simply studying things and repeating what we study,” said Federico Faggin, inventor of the microprocessor and 1996 NIHF Inductee. “Providing an environment where children can actually learn about inventing and intellectual property, in a climate of play — that’s an unbelievable thing.”

According to a recent study, “Who Becomes an Inventor in America? The Importance of Exposure to Innovation,” led by Stanford University economist Raj Chetty, early exposure to innovation and inventors who children can relate to, drastically increases a child’s chance of being an innovator. Camp Invention prides itself on providing all of this and more, through its inventor video challenges; Inductee camp site visits; and fun, hands-on activities that enable students to embrace the art of innovation.

“Camp Invention provides students with enrichment space to develop and exercise their creative problem- solving skills and practice innovation by utilizing STEM tools,” said NIHF CEO Mike Oister. “Of equal importance is the National Inventors Hall of Fame’s commitment to changing the paradigm of role models, by integrating Inductee stories into the Camp Invention curriculum. The Inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame are the purveyors of our quality of life, and their stories of scientific breakthroughs and technological discoveries provide Camp participants with real-life superhero mentors who inspire them to better change their own worlds.”

Local programs are facilitated and taught by certified educators who reside and teach in the community. To find a camp near you, visit our Camp Finder or for additional information, visit www.campinvention.org. Join the Camp Invention conversation and help invent the future of our nation by using #CampInvention on social media!

About Camp Invention

Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized summer program focused on creativity, innovation, real- world problem solving and the spirit of invention. Through hands-on programming, Camp Invention encourages children entering kindergarten through sixth grade to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum inspired by some of the world’s greatest inventors. Camp Invention is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. This nationwide, nonprofit organization is committed to the curious minds and innovative spirits of the past, present and future. Since 1990, our education programs have served more than 1.3 million children, and 125,000 teachers and Leadership Interns. For more information, visit www.campinvention.org.