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SAMBAA K'E/TROUT LAKE
Mechanical engineering, architectural engineering and food sciences are three of the career paths introduced to students in Trout Lake following a three-day camp.

Students at Charles Tetcho School display the robots and other material they used during an IBM technology camp. Camp participants included, from left, back row, Faith Deneron, Angel-Rose Betthale, Aaron Chonkolay, Jada Lamalice, Branden Jumbo, Katrina Deneron and Deanna Jumbo; middle row, from left, Kaechoa Rocque-Jumbo, Edzea Rocque-Jumbo, Atanda Kotchea, Shannon Jumbo, Willie Chonkolay and Isaiah Kotchea; front row, from left, Adam Lamalice and Adien Kotchea. - photo courtesy of David Madden

From Oct. 26 to 28, 16 students at Charles Tetcho School participated in an IBM technology camp. The camps are about showing students that technology, science and math are fun, said Andrea Pavia, a manager of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs with IBM.

"It's about inspiring the kids to think about education and career opportunities in a fun and a safe environment," said Pavia, who led the camp.

The primary activity at the camp, and Katrina Deneron's favourite, was the Lego robotics kits. Older students were paired with younger students and given 439 parts that, once assembled, would form a robot.

Deneron, 13, said putting the parts together was complicated but that she and her two younger partners succeeded. Once built, students added sensors to the robots and learned how to program them to respond to stimuli. With different sensors, the robots could change directions if they hit an obstacle, move away from loud sounds and follow paths marked by dark tape.

"I think it was exciting and amazing," said Deneron about the camp. "It was really fun."

While Deneron was having fun, she was also learning about mechanical engineering, said Pavia. The activity also promotes literacy skills because with 439 pieces it's important to read the instructions, she said.

An added bonus was the coaching skills the older students gained by helping the younger ones build the robots.

"I was really inspired by the co-operation by the students in order to work towards the common goal and achieve it," she said.

The science of food

The science involved in making food was the lesson behind one of Deanna Jumbo's favourite parts of the camp.

Students combined cream, sugar and vanilla in a small plastic bag and put that bag in a larger one filled with ice cubes and salt. After 10 minutes of shaking the students had ice cream to eat. Jumbo, 12, said she was surprised the ingredients turned into a dessert.

"There's so much science involved in making food," said Pavia.

Students also explored architectural engineering through a tower-building challenge and challenged their creative thinking skills during an exercise that involved passing tennis balls as quickly as possible.

While the camps are about inspiring youth, they are also about working with teachers, said Pavia. If they can be inspired, the long-term impact is so much greater, she said.

Principal David Madden said he is enthusiastic about the benefits of the camp. All of the teaching resources used during the camp including the robotics kits, 10 IBM computers and 20 snap circuit kits will stay at the school for its science program, said Madden

"The learning will continue and the benefits will be extended," he said.

Both Jumbo and Deneron said they are looking forward to learning more about robotics. Deneron said she and her classmates enjoyed trying all of the new experiments.

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