Kids may not be able to attend camp IRL this summer due to all the COVID-19 cancellations, but there are plenty of other ways to have summer fun, including Camp: ASPIRE, a virtual STEM robotics camp.
UBTECH Education developed at-home summer programs in robotics and engineering in partnership with the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, a global initiative dedicated to bringing kids high-quality STEM education. Camp: ASPIRE offers multiple week-long classes that use virtual instructions from accredited educators to guide kids ages 8-16 to build with robots at home.
The classes are small, interactive groups that take place using video conference technology. The program delivers hands-on robot building kits straight to kids’ doors. In addition to the live virtual instruction, Camp: ASPIRE also provides more than 10 hours of additional, self-guided activities to keep creativity flowing throughout the week.
Camp: ASPIRE class options will be open to all levels of learners, from beginner to more experienced. The classes include:
- Robotics, Coding, & Engineering: An introduction to learning the basics of programming, engineering, and robotics. Students start by building and programming basic robots to do simple tasks and progress to designing more complex robotic creations that will get them excited about engineering.
- Animal Robots: Designing robots to mimic animal movements. Students use what they can observe in nature as inspiration to create a robot they will design, build, and program, exploring how biology, art, and robots are all linked through biomimicry.
- Coding & Sensors: Building robots to interact with the world. Students learn about how computers use sensors to make sense of the world. Students will build and program multiple sensors to expand their computational and engineering design thinking skills.
- A Helping Hand: Designing robots to solve problems. Students learn about different applications of robotics and then design a robot to solve a specific problem in their community, creatively thinking about how they can utilize robotics for a significant purpose.
Up to 10% of revenue from Camp: ASPIRE, with a minimum of $100,000, will be directly reinvested as scholarships awarded to students who cannot afford a summer robotics program. A portion of revenue from Camp: ASPIRE registrations sold through the STEM Learning Ecosystems will be given back to Ecosystems Communities of Practice, providing funding for future learning initiatives.
The registration for Camp: ASPIRE is now open, with the first classes beginning June 15 and running each week until Aug. 24.
