My practicum site was the Ridgely Robotics & Technology summer camp. Founded over 10 years ago, the Ridgely Robotics & Technology summer camp has taught thousands of middle-school-aged children about the principles of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It offers camp sessions for robotics, 3-D printing, game design, flight & space, girls in STEM, and so much more. The camp never slowed during the pandemic and shifted all operations to a virtual environment.
I've known my site supervisor for many years. During the summer of 2012, I attended the Ridgely summer camp myself as a camper. It was one of my first exposures to STEM concepts and was a seed point for my pursuit of a career in engineering. Because the camp was so special to me, I felt obligated to help the camp expand. I reconnected with Greg Kallaur and used my volunteer work to fulfill my practicum requirement.
My advice to future SGC scholars is to never forget a connection you have made. Even people you met when you were middle-school-aged can still guide you towards a new opportunity. If you're having trouble finding a practicum site, reach out to friends of friends, old teachers, and relatives for advice. More likely than not, any person you reach out to is more than happy to help.
The summer camp is typically held in person at Ridgely Middle School in Timonium, Maryland. There, campers have the opportunity to have a collaborative hands-on experience working with robotics, 3D printing, and more. The summer of 2020 came with its own unique challenges, but that didn't stop us from providing an experience for campers. As head counselor, I played an integral role in moving the Ridgely Robotics & Technology summer camp to an online environment. I designed novel camp sessions, such as Video Editing and Game Design, that are well suited for online. I personally oversaw over 30 children between my video editing, game design, intro to robotics, and 3D printing camp sessions. To aid the shift to online, I designed and published a Facebook Page to help parents navigate our services.
While I was the one teaching my camp sessions, you also learn a great deal, too. Firstly, explaining something to someone else helps solidify information you know so it's easier to apply. For example, by explaining how to use the video editing software we were using and answering all of their questions, it was easier to help the campers when they got stuck on something. I also learned things from my campers too. Even though it's a cliche, teachers do learn as much from their students as students do from the teacher. My students were obviously from a younger generation, so I learned several things about their interests and what inspires them. I noticed that many of them enjoyed playing video games, so I gave them the option to create a "gaming video" for the video editing camp session. The kids still liked to play with fidget spinners, so one of their assignments in 3D printing camp was to design their very own fidget spinner.
I recognize that educating and inspiring a new generation of scientists and engineers is a critical function of society. I remember how the Ridgely Robotics & Technology summer camp was one of my first exposures to STEM, and I'd like to provide a similar experience to someone else. As I enter the workforce as an engineer (currently working on medical device research at the FDA) I should recognize the experiences that have helped me on my journey. The goal of this camp is to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers by exposing them to innovative technologies in a collaborative environment. The virtual summer camp 2020 had over 100 campers that were excited to learn about STEM concepts. Beyond science, the camp inspires a new generation of critical thinkers that are essential to the functioning of a bright future.