MEDIA ADVISORY: WVU Statler College to host Engineering Challenge Camps

WVU President Gordon Gee talks with students participating in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Engineering Challenge Camps on June 26, 2019. (WVU Photo)

This summer, school students in grades K-12 from across West Virginia may discover their passions in STEM at  West Virginia University by attending one of the  Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Engineering Challenge Camps.

Story by Adrianne Uphold, Multimedia Specialist

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

WHAT: Designed to teach kids about science, technology, engineering and math, Statler College is hosting the 2022 Engineering Challenge Camps for students to continue their education and explore STEM concepts they may not learn about while in classrooms.  

While at the camps, individuals of all ages will explore mechanical and aerospace, civil, computer science and electrical, mining, chemical and biomedical, industrial, petroleum and natural gas engineering.

For full information about the camps and activities, visit the Engineering Challenge Camps website. 

WHEN:

Elementary School Camps — Monday-Friday, June 27-July 1, July 11-15, July 25-29 

Middle School Camps — Monday-Friday, June 13-17, July 18-22, July 25-29

High School Workshops — Tuesday-Thursday, June 28-June 30, July 19-21

WHERE: 1306 Evansdale Drive, Morgantown

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Elementary School Camps

The 2022 theme for elementary school camps is "Tools of your Future." The most important tool for children’s future is their ability to overcome obstacles through problem solving. The camps are designed such that campers build critical thinking skills through hands-on activities that follow engineering design processes. Many activities are based around science topics the students are learning in the classroom.

First through third graders will work on activities including designing and building simple machines. They will learn about insulators and conductors by using circuit creatures and will develop a sustainable design project by making their own dye from natural ingredients, like using food waste to create a new product rather than sending it to a landfill.

Fourth through fifth graders will focus on learning about sound waves with circuits, thermal projection systems for rockets, block coding with Spheros and how to build their own game controllers. The students will also be given a toy that is missing a piece. They will have to create their own new piece using clay and with the help of the Lane Innovation Center, they will scan their design and use a 3D print of the missing piece to fix the toy. 

Elementary School camps are divided into first-third grade in the morning and fourth and fifth grade in the afternoon. Elementary camps will run as week-long, half-day camps with first, second and third graders from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and fourth and fifth graders from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Elementary School camp dates:

• June 27-July 1 

• July 11-15 

• July 25-29 

Middle School Camps

The 2022 theme for middle school camps is "Engineering a Better Tomorrow." Students will group up and each group will act as a council of engineers for their “community” for the week. Throughout the week camp counselors will act as the “citizens of the communities,” “industry leaders” and “higher levels government.” They will present “real world” scenarios that each group will then solve using the engineering design process. Each council will have to work as a team to design creative solutions for their community. These challenges will fall under these four main categories: sustainability, health, security and general quality of life. These challenges will be related to the National Academy of Engineering’s 14 grand challenges.

Middle School camps run as week-long, full-day camps, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Middle School camp dates:

• June 13-17 

• July 18-22  

• July 25-29  

High School Workshops

The theme for the June 28-30 camps is "Engineering in Innovation," and the theme for the July 19-21 camps is "Engineering and the Environment." The students will work on the Floating City Challenge, based on the American Society of Civil Engineers “Future World Vision.” Campers will build a floating base for their city, plan and build infrastructure and test its durability at the WVU Student Recreation Center swimming pool. Students will learn about industrial engineering and smart manufacturing, interactive robotics, WVU artificial intelligence, programming and flying drones.

High School workshops run as a three-day program from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

High School workshops dates:

• June 28-30 (Engineering in Innovation)  

• July 19-21 (Engineering and the Environment) 

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