Summer camp turns techy

K-12 Outreach with the College of Engineering and Computing

By Miami University

August 10^th, 2022

Who doesn't want to learn to code robots and become a scientist?

This summer, about 75 middle school students in Cincinnati learned the basics of robotics at camps throughout the city’s recreation centers. The camps were led by Miami University’s College of Engineering K-12 Outreach Program.

Between 12-20 children each day over a four-week period used iPads and the Lego Education SPIKE Prime, a simple hands-on approach that teaches coding and robotics.

The camps were funded through grants from the Cincinnati Recreation Commission Youth to Work Program, Miami University College of Engineering and Computing, Procter & Gamble Higher Education Grants Program, Worldpay, and Duke Energy Foundation.

Children explore a whole new world

Miami students worked with children in the summer program, directed by Joanna Hohn of the College of Engineering and Computing. Second-year student Brie Merritt, majoring in Emerging Technology in Business and Design, also volunteers for the K-12 Outreach program during the school year. She regularly assists Hohn in setting up the projects for students. She also helps instruct the students through the steps of every activity.

“Growing up, I didn’t have much experience with STEM projects in school, so the next best thing is bringing something I couldn’t have to these students and opening their eyes to a world of innovation and creativity," she said.

During the summer camp, the children at the camp used iPads and were introduced to Lego robotics by using Lego Education SPIKE Prime, a simple hands-on approach to teaching coding and robotics.

Each Friday, camp participants visited Miami and toured the College of Engineering and Computing where they conducted experiments in chemical engineering and learned the mechanics of flight propulsion, aka, paper rockets.