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PORTIA WILLIAMS

PDT Staff Writer

LUCASVILLE — Seventh and 8th grade students from schools in the surrounding area literally had a blast at the 3rd Annual Engineering Summer Camp, sponsored and directed by the Scioto County Career Technical Center’s “Project Lead the Way” program.

On Friday, with the assistance of Ryan Keaton — one of the camp instructors and a teacher at Northwest and Valley schools — students were given the opportunity to launch rockets which they designed outside on the lawn of the SCCTC; one of many innovative projects performed during the camp.

The Engineering Camp is a project-based camp for 7th and 8th grade students which encompasses hands-on-projects, provides an introduction to computer-aided design (CAD), and a series of activities which students engage in during the week of their participation. The camp is also designed to stimulate student interest in science and mathematics.

“Three years ago we decided that we wanted to do a junior high camp, so we sent out notices to the local schools that have the Project Lead the Way curriculum that the Career Center offers we tried to target the students that were interested in math and science. We try to do hands-on activities, with the rockets, and we did solar cars this year, and the students really enjoy the project,” said Christy Veach, instructor and teacher at SCCTC and Green High School.

Ethan Gifford, a 7th grader, and two-year participant in the Engineering Summer Camp, and the son of James and Lisa Gifford, smiled when he shared his thoughts about the camp.

“I really enjoyed it, because its really fun. You get to learn different things about engineering, make fun stuff, and have fun with other people. I enjoyed making the rockets the most, you get to design the rocket out of a two-liter, watch the pressure build up, then you just shoot them off, with water going everywhere,” Gifford said.

Josie Collier, a camp instructor and teacher at SCCTC and both Minford and South Webster, said the camp gives students an opportunity to expand, learn teamwork, and meet students from other schools.

“It also allows them to see how to apply what they have learned in math and science in a hands-on environment, and get to actively participate in those teamwork projects,” she said.

The Engineering Camp concluded with a slide show of the different activities that the students participated in during the course of the week. Each student was given a certificate of completion, and a gift bag. Awards were given to teams who completed exceptional projects.

Portia Williams may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 234 or portiawilliams@heartlandpublications.com