Incredible Campers: Battle Bots

Robots... we've all dreamed of having our own at one time - preferably the kind that can compact itself into a cool car (Admit it - you know it's true). Well, for some of the kids attending our LETU summer camps this week, robots are a reality.

Led by camp director Janice Park, who has been teaching robotics at the middle school and high school level for years, the kids in the Battle Bots class were provided with some basic components for a robot. They then used their creativity to design and build battle components onto their bots and come up with their very own fighting machines.

Throughout the week, they took part in small competitions, picking up points for victories that they could use to "buy" more components for their bots. On the last day of camp, the campers pitted their bots against each other in a round-robin tournament. The photo to the right depicts the three-minute battle between the fearsome competitors "The Wall" and "Peanut Butter Killer."

While this camp was more geared towards building and battling, other robotics camps dug deeper into programming and design. Just like our LETU students, these kids are learning that science doesn't just happen inside the classroom - it happens wherever creativity, knowledge and a little bit of enthusiasm come together.