By Sarah Burleson

Frenship ISD’s Willow Bend Elementary served as the host for Camp Invention 2018 last summer. Several Frenship students participated in the program among a total of 116 campers. The 5-day camp was led by the following Frenship employees:

• Camp Director: Jessica Ball, 5^th Grade science at Crestview
• Assistant Camp Director: Megan Winnett, 1^st Grade at Crestview
• Instructors: Tom Messerschmidt, FMS Art; Andrea Sills, Kindergarten at Oak Ridge; Noelle Flores, 4^th Grade Math/Science at Upland Heights; Ann Moushon, 5^th Grade Science at Legacy; and Haley Hawkins, 5^th Grade Science at Westwind.

There was a total of 16 high school students, many of which were FHS students, who volunteered as Leadership Interns and received a certificate from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Their leadership skills were outstanding and the Kindergarten through 6^th grade campers really enjoyed working with these high school students as their camp leaders.

Throughout the week, students participated in the several modules.  

The Stick To It module included a lesson on inventors and entrepreneurs such as Robert Gore, the inventor of GORE-TEX and George Devol, the father of the Industrial Robot. Campers were presented with a challenge that aligned with the lesson for the day. Campers invented new gadgets and prototypes using recycled materials. Finally, campers learned about trademark logos as they applied for a mock patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Campers took on the role as a vet in the Robotic Pet Vet module. Campers rescued and adopted a robotic dog and personalized it with fur. Each day the robotic dogs displayed symptoms that the campers were challenged to investigate and treat. Campers performed surgery to learn more about how the gears, circuits, motors and lights work. Campers were also challenged to build one-of-a-kind dog parks for their new pet using recycled materials, wood, a hammer, and nails.

Campers investigated sensors in the Optibot module by designing tracks that would guide their Optibot by sensing the dark lines that were drawn. Campers applied this learning to the work of National Inventor Hall of Fame Inductee Fran Ligler, inventor of optical biosensors. Campers also learned about sensors in underwater submarines and sensors in aerial vehicles such as firefighting helicopters. Campers were then challenged to take their sensor knowledge to the design table and draft a transportation vehicle of the future.

The Mod My Mini Mansion module focused on designing smart homes. Campers carried out the design process and then turned their 2D ideas into 3D models. Campers used knowledge of circuits to wire an LED light fixture into their mansion and explored alternative energy sources to make their mansions eco-friendly. Campers practiced writing binary code, the language of electronic devices, to map out the connections throughout their mansions.

Thanks to all the leaders and student participants, Camp Invention 2018 was a great success! For more photos, click here!