Campers numbered 32 at the S.T.A.R. (Students, Technology, and Robots) Summer Camp 2007 at St. Cloud Technical College. The 12-to-14-year-old students built and modified their own robots. In order to accomplish this, they learned about welding, mechanical design, machine tools, and motion control, and were introduced to the processes of bending, cutting, punching, finishing, robotics, tube and pipe fabrication, CAD, shearing, and electrical. Two local companies—New Flyer, a manufacturer of large metro buses, and Arctic Cat, a manufacturer of all-terrain vehicles—hosted tours of their facilities.
“The first day of camp, a student’s mom approached me so thankful for this opportunity for her son. She mentioned his ADHD and how he struggled with sitting in class and with doing well in school. She shared that without the scholarship they could never have been able to send him. On the last day of camp, she said how much he loved the camp and how he came home telling his family all about each day. He shared new words he’d learned and processes he’d been taught. His older brother has now shown interest in attending our college in one of these fields, based on the enthusiasm of his younger brother. It was very rewarding to hear this response and how summer camp could mean so much and make a real impact in the future lives of this family.”
--Sandra Fabian, St. Cloud Technical College |
