By Wendi Reardon Price
Staff Writer
wprice@mihomepaper.com
 INDEPENDENCE TWP. — First grader Theo McGee grabbed two pieces for his game board he was making during Camp Invention at Clarkston Community Education, July 10.
“I still have to add a few things,” he said, as he shared his vision for the game board he was making in the In the Game module. He pointed at his game board and shared he was going to put popsicle sticks in the spots. “So it’s a challenge for my opponents.”
This year’s program for Camp Invention is Illuminate and includes using creativity to solve problems and hands-on activities while using STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics.)
“It is such a good experience for kids to get hands on with STEM,” said Sara Duff, director for Camp Invention in Clarkston. “They start to see what field they want to go into and what interests them. It’s a good opportunity for them.”
She added there were 71 kids in Kindergarten through sixth grade signed up with four teachers and a handful of Clarkston High School students as counselors.
This year’s Camp Invention had four modules. During In the Game, the campers made their game board out of upcycled materials while also learning about sports.
They learned about different aspects of sports including equipment and why it affects the; difference in balls and why certain balls are used in specific sports; and careers in sports such as graphic design, promotions and athletic trainer.
In Let’s Glow, campers explore the science of light through illuminating inventions and the genetic code of glowing animals like Gary the Axolotl.
The kids were trying to figure out why the axolotl glows and were given hints every day. They built boxes to get hints like making a glow box during the first day of camp. The next day they made circuits for their boxes so it could light up.
On Wednesday, the kids went through different stations to see what light reflects on different materials. Then, they decorated boxes to make shadows and change the color of the light.
In Operation: HydroDrop, the campers learned about water challenges around the world and how they can help solve the challenges. On Wednesday, they learned about flooding and drought. They designed a solution to get water for crops could grow in the desert.
Fourth grader Madison Nichols showed her solution she made with the materials provided.
“It’s been really fun,” Nichols said about her first year doing Camp Invention.
In Prototyping Studio, campers are contestants on a game show where they take their ideas and make them into inventions.
“My favorite is the inventions,” McGee said, adding the camp is “so fun.”
Camp Invention is a program from the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF). For more information, please visit www.invent.org/camp.

  Camp Invention, STEM