Elementary students have a chance to have fun and learn some valuable lessons this summer now that the national Camp Invention program established a local chapter and director.
Kara Lomazov, third grade teacher at Independence Elementary, was recently named director for the 2006 program, which will take place daily July 24-28, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Independence Elementary. The program is brought to Clarkston through a partnership with Clarkston Community Education.
Camp Invention is for students entering grades 1-6. The program was established in 1990 by the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation and centers around the concept of letting students create their own solutions.
Lomazov said nearly all the activities for students are hands-on and work as lessons in science, math, history and art.
‘It’s presented to the kids as fun activities, so they’re having fun and learning,? Lomazov said.
Some challenges include rebuilding a crashed spacecraft, building and testing skateboards, creating amusement park rides and inventing new products from the parts of household items.
Lomazov instructed part of the program several years ago when she worked in Troy. After moving to Clarkston, she said she thought the program was worth bringing here.
‘I thought, ‘This is perfect for our schools,?? she said. ‘They’re staying active and keeping their minds going… plus it’s a fun way that they’re learning and I love science.?
Lomazov said for several of the games students will play, they get to create their own rules, as one major point of the camp is to encourage creative thinking.
‘It’s a creative thinking process. It’s not what they produce at the end, more like what they were thinking…. it’s not the end product, it’s the process,? Lomazov said.
For the Clarkston pilot year, Lomazov is hoping for a full camp of 110 students. Lomazov said she and approximately five other teachers will be instructors during the program, while high school and college students act as counselors.
Registration costs $199, however, those received before Mar. 15 will be discounted by $20.
For more information or to register for the Camp Invention program, call 800-968-4332 or visit www.campinvention.org. The Clarkston program is in the locations section.