Summer Camps, Courses, After-School Programs & more

(a subtopic of Resources for Students)

"Computer camp, as it was known to an earlier generation, just isn't what it used to be. With the booming growth of video games, the Internet and digital media, technology-minded kids have an enormous variety of things to learn at technology camps, which are often taught on the campuses of major universities." - from Tech-minded kids pass up canoes for computers

Tech-minded kids pass up canoes for computers. By Seth Sutel. Associated Press / available from TheJournalNews.com (June 3, 2005) / also available from USAToday.com (Tech-minded kids hike to computer camp; June 1, 2005). "With the summer camp season fast approaching, kids across the country will be stocking up on hiking shoes, bug spray and other necessities for adventures in the great outdoors. Thousands of others, however, will be enjoying adventures of the indoor variety: creating video games, building robots and designing Web pages. Computer camp, as it was known to an earlier generation, just isn't what it used to be. With the booming growth of video games, the Internet and digital media, technology-minded kids have an enormous variety of things to learn at technology camps, which are often taught on the campuses of major universities. ... Camp administrators say enrollment is up from last year.... And while the kids are on the computers for five to six hours a day, the instructors also take them outside for activities to break up the day."

Tech camps for kids - Get the right fit. By Candace Lombardi. CNET News.com (June 1, 2007). "Tech camps, camps with a bent toward science or technology, are on the rise, with a 16 percent increase in computer camps in particular since 2000. Subjects range from human anatomy to robotics to Flash animation. ... [Ann] Sheets said that because many of the tech camps are based on college campuses, they also serve as a good platform for older kids who are looking ahead toward college. ... The ACA [American Camp Association] offers a Web site where parents can get a list of accredited summer camps by typing in their area."

Reading, writing and robots - Chicago schools' summer program pairs high school mentors with grade school pupils for high-tech learning. By Carlos Sadovi. Chicago Tribune (July 5, 2007). "As part of the six-week Keep Kids Learning summer program, which runs through July, the high school students take robotics courses during the mornings. In the afternoons, they take what they've learned to help teach the grade school students in robotics, computers, sports and other subjects. ... This is the second year that the district has sponsored the program."

Artificial Intelligence Gets City Students Real Results. By Sara Stefanini. City Limits Weekly (Week of December 26, 2006). "Sitting at a cafeteria table in Harry Truman High School in Co-op City, surrounded by his teammates as they waited for their turn to compete next door in the gym, 13 year-old Andy Dujon enthused about the life of a robotics contestant. 'Oh, I love it,' said Dujon, an eighth-grader at Pablo Casals Middle School in the Bronx. 'I love the competition, the technology, being able to look at something you created. It’s satisfying to see it do what you want it to do.' ... In his second year on the Lego robotics team, Dujon competed earlier this month in a Bronx-wide FIRST LEGO League tournament, part of an increasingly popular afterschool program in which students team up to build robots. ... Brandeis University researchers interviewed current and alumni team members from high schools in lower-income areas of New York and Detroit, including Morris Academy. The 2005 study, More than Robots, showed that 99 percent of participants graduated high school and 89 percent went to college, whereas only 65 percent of students nationwide go on to higher education. The program also encourages the study of math, science and engineering."

• For more information about the Brandeis University Study, see First's Who We Are: Impact.

Computer Science Takes Steps to Bring Women to the Fold. By Cornelia Dean. The New York Times (April 17, 2007). "The big problems, these and other experts say, are prevailing images of what computer science is and who can do it. ... At one time, said Barbara Grosz, a computer scientist and dean of sciences at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies at Harvard, students entered college with little idea of what computer science involved, 'so they would try it and find out how much fun and how interesting it was, women included.' Now, though, she said in an e-mail message, 'they get the wrong idea in high school and we never see them to correct the misperception.' ... At Brown University, for example, an organization called Women in Computer Science @Brown runs the Artemis Project, which brings ninth-grade girls from schools in Providence, R.I., to the university campus for five weeks each summer. Its goal is to help the girls learn both concrete computer skills and abstract computer science concepts 'in a positive and encouraging environment.'"

• Visit The Artemis Project.

Formula for fun science, math - Plainfield Elementary school, Amoco grant fund after-school programs for students. By Erin Holmes. Daily Herald (November 8, 2006). "This year, fueled by a $15,000 grant from BP, Plainfield is offering a handful of different after-school math and science clubs to its kids -- letting them explore those subjects beyond the classroom in way that educators insist makes it cool. 'It isn’t an after-school class. It isn’t a punishment,' Principal Rene Carranza explains. 'So, it’s seen as being fun.' [fifth-grader Lucas] Bednarski and others prove that point. They’re happily at school after hours to work on their robot, and plenty of kids come in before school, too, to get going on myriad projects. 'It is fun. Science is fun,' says Bob Broach of UOP in Des Plaines, who has signed on as a mentor for the robotics club. ... Carranza is hopeful the opportunities will pique kids’ interest in the subjects, and even prod them toward careers in the math and science fields. He also believes the clubs could help boost test scores. But more basic than that, he says, the after-school academy could keep kids out of trouble, make them want to come to school, and open up a whole new world to dozens of low-income and minority students. ... The robotics team got its start last year with the school’s gifted students. It was picking up steam -- and popularity -- when the BP grant crossed Carranza’s desk. He applied for a $10,000 award. BP ended up handing over $5,000 more than that, and an extra mini-grant from the Des Plaines Elementary 62 Foundation helped, too."

Summer of Rock and Rockets - Specialty camps help kids broaden interests, hone skills. By Andrew Eder. The Kansas City Star (June 22, 2005). "Peg Smith, chief executive officer of the American Camp Association, says it has seen a rise in specialty camps nationwide in recent years. That has helped boost the number of campers overall from about 9 million in 1998 to more than 11 million. Smith attributes the popularity of short specialty camps to the growth of a 'developmental model.' Instead of camp being just a place to stash the kids, it’s now gives them a chance for growth and development. 'One trend we’ve noticed is that kids in general tend to collect a menu of activities today,' she says. Robotics camp in Kansas City, Kan., kicked off Chris Smith’s full summer schedule. ... For kids who lean toward science, the place to be is the Kansas City Starbase, held at the National Guard Armory in Kansas City, Kan. On a recent Thursday, the facility held its $90 robotics camp. The camp’s nine boys and one girl were divided into three teams, code-named Alpha, Bravo and Charlie. Site coordinator Jason Johnston gives the campers their mission: Build a Lego model that can navigate a patch of rocks and sand meant to replicate the surface of Mars."

SpelBots Ready for RoboCup 2006 in Bremen, Germany. Newswise / source: Spelman College News & Events (June 12, 2006). "The Spelman College robotics team, SpelBots, has qualified for a second year in a row to compete in the international RoboCup. This year’s competition will be held in Bremen, Germany, June 14-20. The SpelBots look forward to continuing to break new ground as the first all-female, all-black and undergraduate team to compete in both the United States and international RoboCups.... The SpelBots are the first to use Tekkotsu for their robot programming design. Tekkotsu is an open-source framework under development at Carnegie Mellon University under the direction of Professor David Touretzky. 'What we're doing here, although it looks fun and cute, is actually serious research. Students are learning complex science in a visual way,' said Dr. [Andrew] Williams. 'This is more than a robotics team. We want to help African American students to see what they can do. Robots have helped us make advances in the area of medicine, search and rescue and assisting the elderly.' ... Competing in the US Robocup and International Robocup is not enough for the team and its adviser. That’s why Williams decided to use the Spelman model to jump-start robotics education in the African-American community. This summer, the College launches a C.A.R.E. Camp for middle-school students. Dr. Charles Hardnett, assistant professor of computer science, will provide leadership for two consecutive sessions to middle-school students. The camp’s goal is to expose middle school students to the opportunities in computer science and robotics. In a pilot project conducted earlier this academic year, the results were very encouraging. In addition to the day camps, student will participate in Saturday activities where they will learn robot and computer-game programming in the context of technical leadership. ... Building on the positive energy of the SpelBots, the C.A.R.E. program expects to help African-Americans blaze new trails in the area of robotics education. Dr. Williams says, 'We want students to dream about technology and how they can help improve the community through it.'"

• Spelman C.A.R.E. - Computer and Robotics Education: What is the C.A.R.E. Camp? "The C.A.R.E. Camp are two, 1-week long sessions that teach middle school boys and girls how to program robots and computer games as well as leadership skills. This program seeks to broaden participation in computing among middle school, african american students."

Lamar getting girls 'WIRED' for computer careers. Beaumont Journal (July 12, 2006). "This is no chick click - or chick clique for that matter. It's cutting-edge computing that will bring almost 30 promising young students to Lamar University for 'Girls WIRED for Computer Science,' summer camps for young women in middle school through high school. The goals: to teach them computers are cool and not just for boys and, ultimately, prepare them to take their places in a profession underrepresented by women and whose numbers are inadequate to meet demands of a growing industry. ... 'These camps are designed to expose girls to computer science and some of its many beneficial applications,' said Peggy Doerschuk, Lamar professor of computer science, who is directing the camp with assistant professor Jiangjiang Liu. 'The camps will engage girls in fun, hands-on learning labs in programming robots, computer hardware and designing Web pages. Girls often lose interest in computer science at an early age because of the misconception that computing is a solitary occupation with no social benefit and is exclusively for males,' Doerschuk said. 'We hope to dispel that misconception.' In fact, she said, history shows that women have always been on the leading edge of computer science. For example: *The first computer programmer was Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace and daughter of the poet Lord Byron. ... * Robin Murphy, professor of computer science and engineering and director of the University of South Florida's Center for RobotAssisted Search and Rescue in Tampa,Fla., took her team of robots to search for survivors at the World Trade Center the day after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001."

Lego lessons teach kids about science of robots - Middle school students from Troy area join summer RPI program focusing on tech skills. Times Union (August 12, 2006). "More than two dozen middle school students from the Troy area got the opportunity to discover how much and at the same time learn that science can be fun as part of a two-week summer program developed by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education. The students used Lego Mindstorms robot technology to design, construct and program robotic solutions to perform complex engineering challenges. ... Launched 10 years ago, Rensselaer's Center for Initiatives in Pre-College Education works with area K-12 teachers and students, as well as local, statewide, and national organizations, to promote the use of robotics in the classroom. Since its inception, a series of professional development, academic and after-school programs have been created."

5 Questions with - Schoolcraft camper has eyes on her future. By Tom Lang. Detroit Free Press (July 9, 2006). "Nicole Karr got her second choice -- but it turned out to be related to her first -- when the 13-year-old Livonia resident signed up for a recent Adventures in Career Exploration Camp at Schoolcraft College in Livonia. ... Nicole had asked for health occupations, but got robotics. Nicole is going into eighth grade at Holmes Middle School this fall. ... QUESTION: Why did you want to go to this camp? ANSWER: I'm really interested in learning about my career and the future, and wanted to learn more about the kind of job I'm thinking of. I want to be a doctor, but I got into the robotic camp as my second choice. But then there were field trips where we could see robotics used in the medical area. Q: What did you find most interesting about the week? A: I liked programming the robots to follow a line. ..."

Microsoft camp shows technology is women's work, too. By Todd Bishop. Seattle Post-Intelligencer (August 16, 2006). "Men outnumber women by a 3-1 ratio among Microsoft Corp.'s U.S. employees and by even more among its top executives. This week, the company brought in 73 high school girls to try to alter that balance. They are attending 'DigiGirlz,' an annual, weeklong day camp at Microsoft's Redmond headquarters that seeks to address the scarcity of women in technology by getting more girls intrigued about the profession. ... Microsoft holds similar camps in North Carolina, North Dakota and Texas."

K-12 programs draw girls to science. By Sheila Riley. EETimes.com (October 17, 2005). "From robotics clubs to high school physics summer camps, there are countless government, education, industry and nonprofit efforts under way to improve K-12 math and science education, and to attract girls to the technical professions."

Summer camps give girls opportunities for hands-on science. By Jenn Day. Minnesota Women's Press (September 5, 2005). "... That's the kind of response [Polly] Williamson and others are hoping for on college campuses around the Twin Cities, where girls are spending their summer building robots and programming them, learning circuitry and applying math to real-world challenges. It's the kind of intensive, hands-on approach to science that doesn't often find its way into the regular school day. And it’s just the approach that’s needed to get more girls interested in careers in science and technology. ... GEMS runs its own summer camps for girls in the Minneapolis public school system at Augsburg College. This summer the girls met for eight-hour days twice a week for nine weeks. .. . GEMS camps are free, thanks in large part to grants from Medtronic and the Minneapolis Public Schools. Many of the 110 girls enrolled this year will continue on in after-school GEMS programs offered at 13 Minneapolis schools."

Kids' camps - more careers than crafts. Forget the image of years gone by. Many of today's summer camps are tailored for instruction, from robotics to rock 'n' roll. By Sharon Ginn. St. Petersburg Times / Floridian (April 4, 2005). "Many of these niche camps are less than 10 years old, some only a few years old. They run the gamut from outrageous luxury to intensive instruction to a special place to just make some friends. Here are some of the more interesting residential camps in Florida and around the nation. ... Computer camp sounds dull, until you get to the part where they let you make a robot. That's the big bonus of CyberCamps' robotics course, which is programming camp in disguise. 'During the week of camp, kids will actually build a robot that they will have to program to do some things,' said David Kinard, marketing director at CyberCamps, based in Washington state. ... CyberCamps (www.cybercamps.com) residential camp starting at $974 a week has locations across the country, including one at the University of Central Florida."

Girls build robots at RoboCamp. By Crystal Barbour. The NT Daily (August 4, 2005). "Girls from all over Denton and Collin Counties [Texas] signed up for the camp. The campers spend their days attending seminars on engineering-related careers and the inner workings of computer science. They also get hands-on robotic experience by learning how to build and program their own miniature robots. ... David Keathly, computer science and engineering undergraduate adviser, and Robert Akl of the computer science and engineering faculty created RoboCamp after serving as judges for a regional high school robotics competition. Keathly and Akl received a two-year grant from Higher Education Coordinating Board to host a girl's robotics camp at the NT Denton and Dallas campuses. ... 'I want them to see that computer science isn't just a bunch of geeks in front of a computer,' [Keathly] said."

Robots challenge teens on break - NASA gives summer class big boost. By Larry Slonaker. The Mercury News (July 18, 2005; registration req'd.). "Laura Williams, 16, has an educational background from early childhood that prepared her well for a summertime class in robotics she's taking at Homestead High School. ... Summer robotics was the inspiration of parent Kumar Thiagarajan, whose son is involved in robotics at Lynbrook High. ... [H]e enlisted the help of folks at NASA, which agreed to provide guest lecturers and 12 robotics kits for the class. ... In addition to the 35 area students who signed up for the class, 170 more -- in other parts of the United States, as well as Australia, India and other countries -- are taking it online. The only cost of the class is about $300 for a kit, which NASA covered for the teams of students at Homestead. The space agency also provided free kits for another 30 online students, based on need. ... [Steve] Headley wants the course to supplement the students' mastery of math and science, but Joseph Hering of NASA has a more specific goal: 'seeding.' Seeding, as in growing students who will go on to get doctorates in robotics. 'We're not shy about it,' Hering said."

• Check out the NASA Robotics and Engineering summer course.

Robot camp, courtesy IIIT-Hyderabad, soon - On the lines of the annual camp organized by NASA, IIIT aims at holding a camp with at least 50 functional robots in place. By Sunitha Natti. CIOL (Cyber India Online Ltd.; April 8, 2005). "In an attempt to build awareness on navigating a robot, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Hyderabad is planning to hold an annual robot camp for students of eleventh and twelfth standard soon. The proposed camp would be similar to the one that is being organized by NASA for students in the month of June every year. IIIT-Hyderabad associate professor PJ Narayanan said, 'Such camps are essential to convey the thrill of robotics to students and educate them on robotics applications.'"

Colleges Offer Summer Programs for Young Engineers. By Lango Deen. BlackEngineer.com (April 27, 2005). "This summer, a number of historically Black colleges and universities will offer pre-college programs that prepare and motivate high school students and new graduates for college programs in science, technology, engineering, and math ('STEM')."

Campus busy with middle-school pupils. By Beth L. Jokinen. LimaOhio.com (June 16, 2005). "The OSU-Lima/Rhodes State campus was full of activity Wednesday as middle-school pupils experienced a college campus and learned a few new skills. ... About 20 girls are also on campus for Rhodes State’s Engineering Camp. Forty-five boys and girls will take part in the same camp next week. 'This is an opportunity for us to expose students to careers in technology and give them as many hands-on activities as we can to increase the awareness of engineering technology,' said Traci Cox, Rhodes’ director of admissions. The pupils are taking part in various engineering projects, including building a light-powered spider robot and making bottle rockets."

Girls learn about careers in technology. By Justin Wolfgang. American News & About AberdeenNews.com (June 18, 2005). "Summer break may have started more than three weeks ago in Aberdeen, but don't tell that to a group of girls who spent this week working with computers at the Workforce Development Center. Eight girls, ages 12 to 13, spent Monday through Friday taking tours of local businesses, building computers and programming robots in a program called Girls Discover Information Technology."

The ultimate ace. By Cynthia Martens. Hillsboro Free Press (February 10, 2004). "John Larson, a senior at Canton-Galva High School, earned the title of genius when he scored a perfect 36 on his American College Testing assessment test in late October. ... Interested in the computer-science field of study, Larson is considering a career in artificial intelligence. 'Artificial Intelligence is like trying to make computers smarter,' Larson said. Introduced to the concept of AI while attending a summer-workshop study program at Duke University, the desire to make it a career was firmly planted. 'It's not making total robots-it's designing computers,' he said."

Tinkering with their minds - Program aims to get students into scientific research early. By Emily Anthes. The Boston Globe (July 29, 2004). "Kim Reinhold gave up a summer of swimming and dancing in her home in Hawaii to hole up in a lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Over the past five weeks, Reinhold, 16, has pursued her interest in artificial intelligence by spending some 40 hours of daylight a week in front of a computer screen. ... 'I love it,' said Reinhold, who developed a computer algorithm that scientists in her lab hope will be useful in teaching machines common sense. ... Reinhold is one of 53 rising high school seniors participating in a summer program at MIT that allows them to work on research projects in Boston labs."

Gtech gives girls blueprint for success. By Cynthia Lescalleet. Examiner News.com (May 27, 2004). "The best way to increase girls’ interest in engineering professions is to expose them early to what the field is all about, which is problem solving. Fortunately, schools at many levels are doing just that through their curriculums, clubs and camps, plus a huge commitment by teachers tuned into technical mentoring. ... Attracting and retaining girls in technical fields is historically a complex issue, says Michael Sirois, program manager at Rice’s Center for Excellence and Equity in Education. Rice’s CEEE, sponsors a computer science camp for girls and their teachers from nine area schools, including Bellaire High School. The two-summer program is funded by the National Science Foundation. In it, 50 students spend two weeks embroiled in computer concepts and applications, such as programming, but also robotics and artificial intelligence. ... For more information on the camps, visit http://ceee.rice.edu/cs-camp or www.egr.uh.edu/ECE/camps/grade."

A few good women - Tech firms want more female computer whizzes. By Marci Mcdonald. U.S. News & World Report / USNews.com (August 16, 2004). "Now many in the industry are focusing on an earlier generation in grade school, where career dreams, and misperceptions, are spawned. According to the book Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing by Jane Margolis and Allan Fisher, girls -- unlike boys -- want jobs they believe can make a difference in society. But they don't view high tech as a key to that idealistic path. 'They think it's what you do if you want to develop games or become a hacker,' says [Sarah Revi] Sterling. 'They just don't feel it's relevant to helping solve the problems of the world.' To combat that perception, IBM has launched annual summer camps for seventh- and eighth-grade girls called EXITE (Exploring Interests in Technology and Engineering). Instead of pounding in tent pegs and building campfires, the girls learn to tear apart a PC and debunk the mysteries of a circuit board at IBM Labs."

Postgraduate life awaits UMBC's cap and gowners. By Michele D. Manigault. Arbutus Times (May 26, 2004). "Woodlawn High School, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, is offering a middle school robotics camp for current seventh and eighth-graders and a separate afternoon camp for high school students. While middle school campers will plan and build a working robot for entry in an engineering contest, high school students will build and program robotic arms."

SUNY Oswego To Host First-Ever Technology Camp. Baldwinsville Daily News (July 2, 2004). "The first-ever SUNY Oswego Technology Camp, Aug. 9 to 13, will aim to help fifth through eighth-grade students plug into problem-solving exercises while learning about advanced technology. Sponsored by the SUNY Oswego department of technology, the camp will offer daily sessions on topics including robotics, digital imaging, flight and computer-aided design. ... 'Robotics: Machines in Action,' taught by Mark Hardy from 9 a.m. to noon, will allow students to build robots and learn about how robots see and work. ... There are multiple goals behind starting this program at Oswego. 'One is to introduce as many children as possible to technology to make them more technologically literate,' [Judith] Belt noted. 'The second is that we want to introduce both genders to technology. From some reason, many girls feel that technology is not for them. So we're trying to show this is not the case and to create some diversity.' ... More information and a registration form are available at www.oswegotechnologycamp.com."

The essence of a science career - STARS program provides key experience. By Tony Fitzpatrick. The Record, Washington University (July 23, 2004). "A 17-year-old student from John Burroughs School spent a good portion of this summer working with a University mentor to develop a program that someday will make a gamer 'rage against the machine.' Steven Anderson of Creve Coeur, Mo., spent six weeks working with Stan Kwasny, Ph.D., research associate in computer science and engineering, on developing a computer program that can play a human in the extremely challenging game of Arimaa, a board game similar to chess but more difficult for a computer to beat. ... For six weeks, Anderson, using artificial intelligence (A.I.) approaches, developed a program that prunes from tens of thousands of potential Arimaa moves to focus on about 100 moves for serious consideration, all the while learning the program language JAVA, writing a 15-page research paper and taking notes for a 10-minute oral presentation. He is one of 48 academically talented high-school juniors and seniors who partook in the Pfizer Inc. and Solutia Inc. 2004 Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) program. It pairs students and teachers with research mentors from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Saint Louis University and Washington University."

Programmed for stardom. By Sara Kincaid. Arizona Daily Sun (September 2, 2004). "This Coconino High School senior writes computer programs that are out of this world. Stars, planets and, recently, asteroids are the topics of programs that Erik Kuefler creates for Lowell Observatory and a science program this summer in Socorro, N.M. ... Kuefler attended the Summer Science Program, Inc. at New Mexico Tech. The Summer Science Program is a nonprofit corporation with several higher education institutions involved with the program, such as New Mexico Tech, Stanford University and the University of California at Los Angeles. ... He plans to study computer science in college, although he has yet to decide where he'll go to college. Ideally, he'd like to specialize in artificial intelligence, he said."

• Also see: Teen writes programs that are out of this world. Associated Press / available from USA Today (September 10, 2004).

Summer of Science - In outdoors-oriented camps, learning goes on after school's out. By Melissa DeVaughn. Anchorage Daily News (April 15, 2004). "Science is a recurring theme in this year's Daily News list of summer camps, and for good reason. It's a tough topic that is often difficult to comprehend in a classroom setting. Yet it is an astonishing topic, and what better way to learn more about it than by hands-on experimentation. ... Academy Charter School will teach robotics, and the Anchorage School District's gifted program will host an Invention Camp."

• Excerpt from their list: "Valley Robo-Academy ... This camp features LEGO robotics instruction, practice and lighthearted competition. Certified teachers with FLL (First Lego League) coaching experience will teach design, construction and programming concepts. ... The camp is limited to 15 participants. Ages: 9-13."

Maths and Computing at Station X. The Times Educational Supplement - Maths Noticeboard (Subject Focus: Maths; May 14, 2004, No.4583; Pg.23). "During World War II, 'Station X' (Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes) was home to the mathematical brains who cracked the Nazis’ secret codes. Now, teachers and students can combine a visit to its historic buildings and exhibitions with an NRICH maths, ICT and computing course. The summer programme includes.... On June 29, a sixth form conference on the future of computers will explore Cyborgs, Artificial Intelligence, games technology and security and identity"

• Check out Bletchley Park's Station X ... and be sure to follow the "Education" link at the top of their page.

Summer Camps. The Charlotte Observer / charlotte.com (May 30, 2004). "Live2Build Lego Camp [www.live2build.com.] summer sessions 9 a.m.-2 p.m. for rising first- through sixth-graders, June 7-11, June 14-18 and June 21-25 at Davidson College. The program emphasizes inventing and constructing sets, sculptures and robots. ... The Cornelius Parks and Recreation Department will hold its second year of summer recreation camps for children 7 to 14.... The camps will offer the following activities: • 9 a.m.--noon June 14-18, computer club for first- through third-graders. • 9 a.m.-noon July 12-16, computer club for fourth- through sixth-graders."

Clarkson University's Horizon Program. Clarkson Integrator (August 23, 2004; no fee reg. req'd.). "Although women constitute nearly half of the American labor force, they make up a much smaller percentage of the nation's lucrative jobs in science, engineering and technology. And according to a 2001 report on women in science and technology published by the National Council for Research on Women, while women and girls have made progress in the sciences over the last two decades, gains have stalled - and in some cases eroded - in engineering and computer-related fields. Clarkson University hopes to help reverse this trend and remedy the imbalance by getting more middle-school-age girls interested in science and technology careers through the summer Horizon programs. 'Studies show that women have an aptitude equal to men in science and mathematics, yet few girls choose to pursue careers in these areas,' said Program Director Bobbi Laird, a school psychologist and educational specialist. ... Clarkson created the Horizon programs 18 years ago. Since then, more than 200 girls each summer are introduced to the excitement of science, math, engineering and technology through hands-on activities and team projects - from building working robots to mixing up magic in the laboratory. ... Jaymie Merry, a student from Willink Middle School in Rochester, N.Y. also returned for a second week this summer. 'It has been really great to meet other girls interested in some of the same things I am. Most of my friends back home are not as science or tech-oriented as I am. I am interested in engineering and robotics but until I came to Horizons I didn't really know what kinds of jobs there are in these fields.'"

Demand for robotics really moving. By David Kaplan. Houston Chronicle (November 1, 2003). "Children at the American Robotics Academy [www.roboticsacademy.com] work with gears, motors, wheels, axles, pulleys, microcomputers and pneumatics. The program teaches them much more than engineering, owner Dan Taglia said: 'It's getting kids excited and motivated about a hands-on learning experience.' And, of course, they like battling each other's robots. Taglia almost single-handedly runs his robotics summer camps, for first grade through high school-aged children, and he teaches an after-school program for the Katy Independent School District. He taught almost 300 children last summer. ... Taglia also teaches robotics to home-schooled children in the day as well as after-school classes at his headquarters in a west Houston-area shopping center."

Summer scientists - Robots, lasers, insights for teenagers working at Berkeley lab. By Meredith May. San Francisco Chronicle (July 28, 2003). "Now in its fourth year and growing, the High School Student Research Participation Program pairs students with scientists who are building robots that retrieve golf balls and lasers that can allow scientists to see chemical reactions on an atomic level. ... Kentrell Davis, a senior at Castlemont High in Oakland, is helping repair a broken robot for UC Berkeley's bomb squad. He's also working on the robotic golf ball retriever that will light up and make noise when pegged by a ball on the driving range. The team plans to put rotating eyes on it and turn the gizmo into a game of target practice. 'Last year, my summer job for the city of Oakland was boring. We just sat around in meetings for seven hours planning parades,' Davis said. 'Now, I'm learning how to wire things and program things.' ... 'We learn a lot from them,' said robotics mentor Deb Hopkins. 'Teenagers ask the questions other people don't. They come up with the ideas other people don't.'"

Summer fun gets scientific. By Karen Harrell. The Pensacola News Journal (June 20, 2003). "For an hour each week, a dozen or so children from rotating age groups gather in a small classroom-like setting at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Escambia County on H Street to interact with some of Pensacola's brightest scientists. The summer partnership is the first of its kind for the University of West Florida's Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, a program that has gained national and world recognition for its breakthrough research. The program, one component of the Boys and Girls Clubs' regular summer day camp, introduces science concepts through balloon cars, lemon-powered batteries, straw bridges, robotics, artificial intelligence and other projects illustrated only through the use of simple household materials that can be purchased inexpensively at area discount and hardware stores."

NASA, Carnegie Mellon Inspire Future Robotics Engineers. SpaceDaily (July 22, 2003). "As NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers journey toward the red planet, 36 high school students are honing their engineering and programming skills during an intensive, seven-week robotics course called 'RoboCamp-West.' ... 'One of the ideas behind a summer with Carnegie Mellon, is to engage students in understanding both the science and engineering challenges of space exploration,' said Daniel Clancy, acting director of NASA Ames' Information Sciences and Technology Directorate. 'The premise is that space is cool, robots are cool and the combination of both is really cool. We believe that robotics and space exploration is a way to motivate, challenge and encourage students.' ... The NASA Ames Equal Opportunity Programs Office provided scholarships for 20 minority students in the course. The scholarships supply each student with a laptop computer, a PDA and a two-week training course in JAVA taught at San Jose State University, San Jose, Calif. ... 'The scholarships opened the eyes of many of the students to the world of programming and robotics,' said Horacio Alfaro, director of San Jose State's MESA Engineering Program."

At camp, regional pupils learn technology, robotics, engineering. By Vicki Terwilliger. Pottsville Republican & Evening Herald August 29, 2002). "Child's play it's not. But it can be loads of fun. Manipulating robots made of Lego blocks can be serious business - and can mean scholarship money for industrious students. Forty regional youngsters attended the first-ever Lego League Camps this summer at the Schuylkill Technology Center's South Campus, Mar Lin. Sponsored by Schuylkillbotics, each one-week camp was designed to introduce students from ages 9 to 14 to the world of technology, robotics, engineering and computer programming."

High Tech's Future is in the Toy Chest. By Arlene Weintraub. BusinessWeek; issue title, 25 Ideas For a Changing World (August 26, 2002). "Children growing up with the seeds of this technology constantly push it forward. At the Carnegie Mellon Robotic Autonomy course this summer in Moffett Field, Calif., Luz Cabrales, 17, built SpongeBots, a species that runs, walks, and dances. 'What if a robot could sense and feel, as we do?' she asks. It could help the disabled, she muses -- and better yet, it might actually want to. As a youth and an inventor, Cabrales straddles an important line. Tomorrow's most innovative technology is in the minds of children -- and the creative inventors who continue to dream up remarkable ways to entertain them."

On the robotics circuit - Exhibition: Youths participating in a national engineering competition present a demonstration at the Maryland State Fair. By Maria Blackburn. The Baltimore Sun (August 24, 2002). "Although classes don't start until Monday, he's had a dozen students in his shop every weekday since Aug. 8, fine-tuning their robot for the fair. 'They're not getting class credit,' [Dean Sheridan] said. 'They're not getting paid. But they're here working on the robot. How many programs are out there in schools where kids are working on projects in the summer?'"

A Circuit Above the Rest. By Jonathan Jones. Daily Local News (August 10, 2002). "The floor of the front room on the first floor of Temple University's College of Engineering is a 32-foot rectangular white piece of paper with duct tape that is surrounded by parents, and two dozen teenage boys holding small objects that look like microchips with wires and wheels. ... While it took a little time for some of the younger students to design and build the 5.5-inch machine out of 250 parts and learn basic computer programming language, Kaminiski, a junior at Unionville High School, said the task came naturally to him. ... Kaminiski is one of 24 students from the Greater Philadelphia region participating in an 'Introduction to Electrical and Computer Engineering' summer course at Temple University. Over five weeks, the students learn how to program a robot to navigate using infrared sensors and motor controllers. ... After seeing a major dropoff in the number of graduating high school students looking to go into engineering a decade ago, John J. Helferty, chairman of electrical and computer engineering, said the 8-year-old program is helping to cultivate young people with budding aspirations to be future engineers and computer programmers."

Local girls get scientific. By James Finlaw. The Herald News (July 13, 2002). "Building and programming a robot, constructing a boat from everyday objects, solving a murder, and disproving an old stereotype are each supremely daunting tasks. But for the girls participating in the annual 'Women In Technology Summer Camp' at Bristol Community College and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, tackling such challenges are a joy. ... That spirit of learning and fun is exactly what Ted Boudria, the director of the Bristol Tech Prep Consortium, hoped the summer camp would instill in young women when his group launched the program. Begun eight years ago, the camp is designed to introduce young women to fields the nation's Department of Labor has identified as having a dearth of females -- technology and engineering. 'The federal government has indicated, through the Department of Labor, that less than 25 percent of the work force in engineering and related fields is composed of women,' said Boudria. ... [Kristy] Cabral said she also thoroughly enjoyed a program held at UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday, where the groups had to design and program a robot to walk and sing. 'Everything I've been doing so far is pretty cool,' she said."

High-tech Legos challenge class - High schoolers create robots at UNLV. By Natalie Patton. Las Vegas Review-Journal (July 12, 2002). "Rancho High School aerospace academy students snickered when they found out Lego building blocks would play a major role in a summer learning program at UNLV. ... The eight students, who today end a four-week NASA-supported summer learning program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, used Legos to build robotic vehicles that navigate mazes. The four vehicles were designed and programmed individually by pairs of students who used computer software to give the robots the artificial intelligence needed to turn corners and overcome the maze's obstacles, and light sensors for stopping. ... The Rancho Summer Internship Program provides a way for UNLV professors to connect with the high school engineering students and introduce them to the college environment, said Georg Mauer, the mechanical engineering professor overseeing the university program. Students earn a college credit and a stipend for their participation."

Children's gears move at camp. By Jonathan Van Fleet. The Telegraph of Nashua (July 11, 2002). "Swamy and his wife, Naveena, who is the camp director, were delighted. After all, the camp was an idea of theirs that had come to life. The Swamys are passionate about technology - both have pursued high-tech careers - and want to pass on that passion to children. 'We want to take complex stuff and bring it to the kids in very simple ways,' Nanu Swamy said. The idea is to have campers, who are between the ages of 8 and 12, build things that will trigger their curiosity to figure out what makes their creations work. As they build, the campers will learn to use things such as diodes, resistors, transistors, semiconductor chips, gears, pulleys, axles and pneumatics, to name a few. ... 'There isn't anything like this for this age group in this region,' Naveena Swamy said. 'People are afraid to teach little kids these things. We feel the opposite.' ... While the camp is geared toward boys and girls, there clearly were more boys attending. The girls that were present certainly held their own." Also see this related article. and this update (June 2006)

Students program robots to hug line - Gizmos lead to education. By William Valente. Poughkeepsie Journal (July 8, 2002). "The task for the 29 students participating in the Summer Scholars program at Bard College was to build and program a robot that can follow a thick black line around a paper grid. Students attacked, dissected and found solutions to the challenge -- happy to spend two weeks of their summer vacation learning about computers and robotics. ... Teaching programming through robotics makes the topic more accessible to students as there is a physical demonstration of a programming language, Bard computer science professor Becky Thomas said."

A lesson in robotics. By Kevin Schuster. La Vista Sun (June 21, 2002). "HAL activities have been offered by the Papillion-La Vista school district since the early 1980s. But robotics is a new experience. [Jana] Johnston received the robotics camp idea from Omaha Westside. 'I knew kids would love science and hands on,' she said. Lindsay Peterson, the program coordinator for the Omaha Children's Museum, taught the course. The enthusiasm students carried into the classroom surprised her. 'It's amazing. It's summer. They all get here early and said, ?Can we start?,' Peterson said."

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Here are some other programs & resources that have come to our attention:

"Robotics Summer Camp - Q: How can I find out about robotics summer camps?" One of the questions in NASA's Robotics Education Project (REP) collection of Frequently Asked Questions... and Answers!

Computer Science Summer Camps site: "[F]acilitated by the ACM-W Executive Committee of ACM to help middle and high school girls choose activities to develop their talents in computer related disciplines. By providing camp information, ACM-W hopes to attract females to the field of Computer Science. The site provides camps created specifically for girls as well as camps created for both males and females."

Artbotics: "An 8-week summer program piloted by a group of Lowell HS graduates and UMass Lowell students."

The WISEST Summer Research Program at the University of Alberta: "an opportunity for young men and women who have completed Grade 11 to gain first hand information about different science and engineering disciplines. Participants in the program will work as paid research assistants on a project in an area that is non-traditional for their gender for six weeks in July and August."

• Also see this related news article.

Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame Summer Camps: "Students K through 12 are invited to take a journey of artistic exploration and self-discovery this summer at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame and Experience Music Project! We've come up with 5 unique programs that have been designed to accommodate our campers of any age, skill level or interest. Our campers receive support for their passions and are encouraged to imagine new possibilities for their talents."

"The Science Training Programs Directory for Teachers and Students (STP) has more than 300 programs listed and is the only comprehensive catalog of science, mathematics and engineering enrichment programs for pre-college students and teachers." As further explained on the "About page": "The training programs listed in this directory cover a wide variety of scientific disciplines and take place throughout the year at a variety of institutions -- predominately at colleges and universities. Many of the programs listed specifically target members of groups traditionally under-represented in the sciences." This very helpful directory is maintained by Science Service.

EURON (Summer) Schools. "EURON [the European Robotics Research Network] promotes and organises EURON Schools, which often take place in the summer, dealing with emergent topics in robotics. These schools are aimed at PhD student level, but are open to all. EURON Schools are probably the most efficient way to strengthen our community by educating our young people to become outstanding robotics researchers."

MIT Women's Technology Program (WTP): "a four-week summer academic and residential experience where female high school students explore engineering through hands-on classes, labs, and team-based projects in the summer after 11th grade."

"RISE - Research Internships in Science and Engineering - gives students in the fields of biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering and physics the chance to spend a summer working with German doctoral students on serious research projects." Organized by DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service.

ACAI Summer School - offered in odd-numbered years by The European Coordinating Committee for Artificial Intelligence (ECCAI).

IEEE Computational Intelligence Society "supports worldwide the organization of summer schools and courses for disseminating and promoting the knowledge about computational intelligence theory and applications."

Mentoring & Enrichment Seminar in Engineering Training (MESET) for “rising seniors” in high school, at the University of HoustonCullen College of Engineering. "The MESET curriculum during the two weeks includes:* An introduction to the various disciplines of engineering 'What do engineers do?) * Project-based learning (hands-on team projects involving robotics and engineering design contests) ..."

OPTIONS for Girls 2005 at the University of Evansville: "a weekend-long, residential camp for middle-school aged girls in grades 6-8. The purpose of this camp is to expose girls to the vast career options made possible with a degree in engineering or computer science."

UC Camp Introduces High-School Girls to Computer Science and Engineering - A week-long, hands-on camp will allow young women to explore careers in engineering and computer science as they work with University of Cincinnati faculty. Press release (July 6, 2005). " Do you know a girl in high school? Is she interested in a career in computer science or engineering? If the answer to the first two questions is 'yes,' ask her what she’s doing from July 18 to 22, 2005. The Women in Engineering and Computer Science Summer Camp allows young women to develop their creativity and provides them with the opportunity to talk to working engineers and computer scientists. ... Applicants must be young women entering the 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade in fall 2005."

Exploring new frontiers. By John Michael. Drayton Valley Western Review (June 28, 2005). "This summer, three local students will explore new frontiers as they spend time at the University of Alberta’s research labs in Edmonton as part of the U of A’s 21st annual Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology (WISEST) summer research program. ... [Emma] Rapati, who attends Warburg school, will spend the summer in the U of A’s computer science lab, developing software for interactive games. ... [Amanda] Brewer, who attends Frank Maddock high school, will study artificial intelligence this summer. She is not sure at this point in time if she would pursue robotics as a career choice, although she may decide otherwise by the end of the WISEST program."

Scheme promoting IT jobs to girls. BBC News (June 14, 2005). "A scheme aimed at getting more girls interested in IT careers is being launched by the education secretary. Women make up just one in five of the technology workforce. The same percentage of those studying IT-related degrees is female. Computer Club for Girls (CC4G) seeks to persuade girls that IT jobs are not 'just for boys', and is being rolled out to 3,600 schools across England."

Building bridges - MESA program aims to increase the presence of underrepresented students in science and engineering. By Sue Pesznecker. The Daily Vanguard (May 17, 2005). "It is Friday, May 13, MESA Day at Portland State, and groups of middle and high school students chatter on the steps outside the Stott Center, some holding posters, others clutching balsa bridges or odd-looking model vehicles. MESA - Math, Engineering and Science Achievement - is a program encouraging underrepresented students to pursue college math, science, engineering and computer science. ... Created 35 years ago in California, there are now MESA USA chapters in 11 states, as well as a waiting list of states that want a program. Chapters are anchored at a four-year college or university."

NAACL-Supported Two-Week Summer School in Human Language Technologies. "The North American Chapter of the Association for Computational Linguistics (NAACL) is again offering an exciting summer school opportunity for a limited number of graduate and undergraduate students interested in the field of Human Language Technology. The summer school will be held June 21-July 2 at The Center for Language and Speech Processing (CLSP) at Johns Hopkins University in conjunction with the pre-workshop classes of the CLSP 2004 Summer Workshop on Language Engineering."

St. Paul's School - A place to 'learn for the sake of learning.' Summer study session draws students statewide. By Chris Baxter. Concord Monitor Online June 26, 2005). " The five-week intense summer session [of the St. Paul's School Advanced Studies Program], which began Friday, gives students a preview of life away from home and more challenging schoolwork. ... [Jeff] Mekler, who hopes to study engineering in the future, enrolled in the artificial intelligence class. 'I'm excited to discuss the possibilities - and build a robot,' Mekler said."

Nuts, Legos of robotics - UCLA sponsored program teaches youths math, science. By Kevin Butler. Press-Telegram (July 31, 2004). "For most people, Lego pieces are meant simply to be pressed together to form shapes. They aren't supposed to, all by themselves, lift a soda can, follow a square pattern or pick up animal pen. But Lynwood Middle School students, thanks to some mechanical and computer know-how, built robots from Legos to do just that, as part of an innovative program sponsored by UCLA. Forty-eight kids, including elementary, middle and high-school pupils, spent three weeks at the school learning how to construct and program Lego-made robots to perform specific tasks. 'What it does is give them hands-on experience, and they are engaged in learning,' said Principal Mark Newell."

Hallowed halls open to tomorrow's leaders. By Andy Cheng. South China Morning Post (July 3, 2004; subscription req'd.). "An increasing number of university faculties are running workshops and even residential camps in order to entice future students to their particular subjects. ... Primary students will benefit from various university offers. A total of 104 will take part in the five-day 'Super Summer 2004' to be held at Baptist University beginning on July 19, which includes lessons in artificial intelligence, drama, sports and joining an outdoor camp on Lantau Island."

Robots have a lot to learn - "Mechatronics" field is making big strides, but it'll be a while before Hollywood's techno-futuristic visions become reality. By Jack Cox. The Denver Post (July 19, 2004). "The participants in the five-day Robocamp at the School of Mines, one of many offered across the country each summer...."

Children learn how to program robots using Lego pieces. By Simon Capstick-Dale. Cape Times (July 13, 2004). "A robotics expert is using the basic building blocks of many childhood games - Lego - to teach Cape Town youngsters about computer programming and mechanical engineering. Rand Afrikaans University graduate Johan Benade has taught children in Denmark, Britain, America and South Africa and is hosting holiday workshops at the MTN Scien Centre for the fifth time. ... The Advanced Lego-Robolab workshop takes place today and Thursday and lasts all day. ... [T]he workshops ... are aimed at children aged 11 and older...."

Using Practical Toys, Modified for Technical Learning. By Tracey Lynn Weishe. Crossroads (Summer 2004 - 10.4). "Others have used LEGOs in camp-like settings to teach robotics. Specifically, other science camps, such as ones taught by Destination Science, Sci-Fi Engineering Summer Science Camps, Summer Science Day Camps, Inc, and Sci-Tech Ventures have all taught camps dealing in robotics in order to accomplish different goals. All of these camps are day camps taught over a several hour span." (The article provides links to these camps.)

CVCC Camp is Cool for Middle School Kids. Reported by Amanda Cruickshank and posted by Jeff Taylor. ABC 13 / WSET.com (August 5, 2004). "[T]he 'Nuclear Technologies' Summer Academy for middle schoolers going on this week at Areva in Lynchburg. Students get a chance to see what it's like to be an engineer working in nuclear decontamination or robotics. Organizers say it's about career development. Kids just say it's fun. Joey Donovan, Summer Academy Student - 'Oh it's very cool. I really like working with the robot and checking the pipes.'"

Robot mechanics wanted. From Ian Hanigan and Melissa Milios' article, Banning students capture The Aerospace Corp. science contest, DailyBreeze.com (June 10, 2004). "An award-winning robotics team made up of students from Mira Costa and Redondo Union high schools is holding its second annual summer camp for children ages 9 to 15. The Beach Cities Robotics Team 294 will run two courses July 5-30 at Redondo Union High School. The first two weeks will be reserved for beginners; more advanced robot-builders are encouraged to participate during the final two weeks. ... Each session ... will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the school, 620 Diamond St., Redondo Beach [CA]. For more information, call 310-944-9334 or visit www.bcrobotics.org."

Kids Works Studio's Robot Studio Summer Camp at Gulfport High's Technology Center, Mississippi: grades 5-8.

RoboTech Center: summer camps & after school enrichment programs. Nashua, New Hamphire.

Tech camp gets girls to consider careers in science. By Mike Wendland. Detroit Free Press (June 28, 2004). "Who says girls don't take to technology like boys? Tell that to the 40 elementary and middle school girls from across the metro Detroit area who spent last week at a special technology camp held on the campus of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. The girls built working robots, learned to design and program their own Web pages and were told about the many technology jobs awaiting them someday by members of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology."

Kids College Camp concludes. By Leona Liu. The Journal News (August 14, 2004). "The Kids College Camp, in its fourth season, was started by Emil Willis to complement the existing Sports Academy summer program, which has been running at SUNY Rockland Community College for over 30 years. 'I started Kids College Camp because the Sports Academy only appealed to those with an athletic interest and I wanted to provide an alternative for those with an academic interest,' said Willis. Kids College Camp consists of separate computer, math and science, and performing arts camps on the college's campus. Campers enroll in the one that most appeals to their interests and passion. ... The computer camp was headed by Josh Leigh. The children designed their own Web sites, stationary and cards on the computers. Those who attended the math and science camp dabbled in chemistry and made robots and model rockets as well as a six-legged soccer robot."

Workshop for Budding Young Scientists. By Leah Williamson. Aberdeen Evening Express / this is northern scotland (June 15, 2004). "Budding young scientists will have the chance to build a miniature remotely operated vehicle for underwater use at a workshop this weekend. Robert Gordon University's School of Engineering and Aberdeen Maritime Museum are looking for eager young people to take part in the free event on Saturday. ... The minimum age to take part is eight and each team will get to take the finished ROV home with them. ... Graeme Dunbar, lecturer in Robotics at RGU, added: 'Underwater robots are designed by many of our students at The School of Engineering, many using advanced artificial intelligence techniques to control them.'"

Summer Camps. The Los Angeles Times (August 18, 2004; no fee reg. req'd.) "Science Camps Newport Beach: Crazy Cyborg Tech lets kids build their own motorized, wheeled robot. Kids also learn about magnetic towers, radio waves, robotic sensor technology and even fiber-optics. Ages invited are 5 to 11."

Robocamp at The Robotics Academy, National Robotics Engineering Center, Carnegie Mellon University: "an 'adventure for the mind!' Activities include designing and building robots, learning programming and presentation software, working in teams, mastering tasks, and sharing in a themed robotic adventure with their fellow campers."

Robotic Autonomy summer course at Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute: "Our most recent educational endeavour aims to create a new kind of robotic exploration class for high school juniors. Called Robotic Autonomy, this fully accredited summer course in robotics enables enthusiastic students to build robots using special fast-build kits that we have designed, complete with the CMUcam vision system, and thereafter program the robot to enable more and more intelligent rover missions in the classroom and home environments. At the conclusion of the course, students take the robots home and are thus able to continue exploring robotics and rover science throughout the school year."

Tufts University Robotics Academy K - 12 Outreach. "Every spring semester the Robotics Academy runs an after school engineering education program that last for eight weeks."

City students to take part in Robotics camp. Press Trust of India (PTI) / available from Mid-Day Mumbai (July 24, 2003). "Three engineering students of a city college will participate in a Robotics Camp at a university in Bremen, Germany, after winning prizes in the field. The nine-day camp on 'Advanced Robotics' beginning July 27 will focus on Underwater Robotics and Humandois, Principal of K J Somaiya Insititute of Engineering and Information Technology, Nalini Kumthekar said today."

Summer 2003 Program for High School Women in Science and Information Technology at Immaculata University. Sister Susan Cronin writes: "Program will run June 22-29, 2003 and is sponsored by a grant from the Charles Edison Fund - no cost, live on campus, students will focus on one of the following: bioinformatics, robotics, or information technology. Students who are presently sophomores in high school may apply. Near Philadelphia, PA."

Camps zero in on gap - Companies hope to lure girls to tech fields. By Rachel Konrad. Associated Press / available from The South Bend Tribune (July 7, 2003). "The camps expose girls to a range of technical professions -- from industrial design to genetics -- and encourage them to pursue degrees in science, math and engineering. ... IBM, which is expanding its 5-year-old 'Excite!' program to 30 cities worldwide this summer, runs one of the best known programs aimed at getting girls interested in technology. Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and other technology bellwethers sponsor similar educational and mentoring programs. Texas Instruments launched a camp this summer teaching advanced placement physics to 50 girls in Dallas. Intel's popular 'Geek Chic' program places third-grade girls with mentors for several days in the chipmaker's labs and offices near Portland, Ore."

ALSO SEE: Internships on our Resources for Students page.