GREENFIELD — Daniel Fieldhouse shows his toolbox of inventions like a pro.
One of the 71 Greenfield students in Camp Invention last week, the third-grader beams as he talks about his “messy but organized” box.
“Here in the prototype studio, we make different gadgets and gizmos – and prototypes of course.”
A drinking straw with soft pom poms on the sides is his own invention: It’s designed to help kids to touch and feel, to stay calm while they drink. His field partner, Nolan Schewe, created a spatula with a straw to taste-test and stir a drink at the same time.
The pair even created matching friendship bracelets: red rubber bands with aluminum beads.
“We originally thought of these as slingshots, but we thought it’d be better to turn them into friendship bracelets,” Fieldhouse clarified.
It’s students like Daniel that amaze Greenfield-Central teachers every day at Camp Invention, according to a press release from the school corporation. The program has become an annual tradition of the school corporation to enhance STEM learning.
“Their creativity is amazing – it’s things I wouldn’t even think of,” said Shannon Dick, who coordinates the program for G-C schools. “And they’re figuring out how to work with partners – communicate, collaborate.”
Camp Invention is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, designed for curious kids to build creative inventions and lasting friendships. More than 1,000 programs are run nationwide in schools, community centers and other local facilities as a confidence-boosting summer camp on science and engineering.
For Greenfield-Central schools, the program is hosted every summer at J.B. Stephens Elementary School.
Dick said of the 71 children enrolled in the program, five are leaders in training – teenage helpers. An additional five are interns, which are high school and college-aged students. Four teachers plus a director and assistant director round out the program for students entering grades 1-6.
The projects vary each summer. The national organization sends local teachers all of the materials, videos and curriculum for a successful program. A room full of three-dimensional boxes with lights, circuits and switches, for example, started as simple flat boxes.
“It looks so simple, but actually it isn’t,” second-grader Grant McCollough explained of his glow box. “It takes a lot of work.”
But as he showed off how the colored filters change the light shining through the box, Grant said the hard work paid off. It actually turned out cooler than he expected.
Students rotate from room to room, taking time for snack, lunch and play as well. Robotics are learned at Camp Invention, as well as how to solve real-life problems posed by video clips of children from around the world.
One class even spends time learning about sports and games: Why are tennis balls yellow? What are inside sports balls besides air? And to top it off – they created their own skee ball games to take home.
“It took a couple of hours,” Artemis Downer said, as he showed his game with plastic cups and pipe cleaners.
Teacher Kay Lithgow encouraged him: “It’s beautiful – he added to it so people can get more points.”
“So they don’t earn more points!” Artemis corrected her, pointing out that his game is more difficult than she realized.
G-C Superintendent Dr. Harold Olin said Camp Invention has been a wonderful learning experience for G-C students for many years.
“I have always been very impressed with the lesson design that has our students experiencing science throughout their time with us,” he said. “The program helps our students make connections, seeing science in action in their world.”
Campers spend about as long at Camp Invention as they would a typical school day, making it a good bridge between the summer and new school year, which starts this Wednesday for G-C students. Dick said she’s heard from several parents that this helps their children get back into the swing of a routine and eager to learn more.
Parents also help by chipping in “upcycleables” – boxes, gadgets, game pieces and tools from around the house that the students look through daily to add to their projects. As a teacher at Greenfield Central Junior High School, Dick said it’s exciting to see young students and their excitement about STEM, building foundations that will help them as they grow.
“I just think it’s great– the kids get so excited,” she said.
Camp Invention will return next summer to J.B. Stephens Elementary School. For more information, visit invent.org/programs/camp-invention.
