Maine Robotics is Maine’s largest summer academic camp program, established in 2003 to bring STEM programs to Maine youth. We now have over 800 student-campers each summer in 30 locations. We focus on technology, learning, and fun! Our youth want to spend time learning more about the technology they are growing up with and what better way than spending a week with friends (new and old) as you dive into something new?
Summer Learning Loss:
Did you know that most children lose around 2 months of their academic knowledge over the summer? This is called summer learning loss and has been studied and acknowledged for over 100 years. But there is something that can be done to reduce this loss! Spend part or all of your summer actively engaged and using your brain! Maine Robotics has been working for the last 14 years to provide children and families with a way to keep busy, learn new things, and have fun while doing summer learning.
Students with no summer learning opportunities typically will be 1-2 years behind by the fifth grade, when compared to students who have access to and participate in summer academic programs.
Rural states like Maine also experience more summer learning loss because there are fewer opportunities in many of the smaller communities. For this reason, we at Maine Robotics have tried to spread our programs out with the hope of reaching as many students as possible.
Changing the equation:
All is not lost; there is much that can be done to keep Maine children mentally active in the summer. Here are some things you can do with your child during the summer months to help keep them going.
At Maine Robotics we follow a constructionistic approach to learning. This is a learning concept defined by Dr. Seymour Papert, formerly of MIT and now retired to Maine, where children use skills they already have to create new things and in so doing acquire new skills. Dr. Papert is one of the founders of the work that lead to LEGO’s Mindstorms robotic kit, now in use by millions of students (and adults) across the planet. And besides, what child doesn’t like building with LEGOs…we just need to remember that building with LEGOs or other such activities are age-appropriate skill builders that lead to all sorts of careers, including engineering and architecture. They also build skills that lead to organization, physics, math (count those LEGO knobs), art, and design.
Our camps also incorporate a short class time just after lunch. This gives our staff an opportunity to talk about a current topic related to robotics, 3D printing, computers, programming, or science in general. It is our chance to expand, a little further, the thinking of the youth in our program.
And best of all, our camp leaders and staff enjoy the technology as much as the children! And that leads to meaningful mentoring opportunities for the children.
Just visit camps.mainerobotics.org for more information or call our office at 207-866-4340!
