Creativity Soars at Camp Invention
In July, nearly 40 students participated in Camp Invention led by Saint Patrick faculty and staff Ashley Costanza, Betsy Cox, and Susan Bean. They were assisted by Virginia Tech student Morgan Thrasher and Wolfhound students and Camp Invention alums, Alex and Ian McIntyre.
Camp Invention is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) based camp that embodies project-based learning concepts to engage young inventors. It is the only nationally recognized summer program that emphasizes creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving, and the spirit of invention.
Students learned three different “modules” each day, culminating in an “Inventor’s Showcase,” where campers presented either prototypes for future inventions or improvements to existing inventions. They worked throughout the week to dismantle an old item in order to build a novel prototype.
Wolfhound Weeks Camper Robert Fornicola said the best thing about Camp Invention was, “being able to take things apart to see how they work. I took apart a computer and it had gold in it and was so cool!”
Students also learned how inventors model their creations off of nature, particularly crickets and their adaptations. In light of this new knowledge, students worked to create their own “CrickoBot,” a solar-powered robotic cricket! They also explored the concepts of coding and applied chemistry.
Parishes We Serve
Saint Patrick Catholic School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Saint Patrick Catholic School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.