OAKHURST — The Bass Lake Education Foundation (BLEF) is once again giving kids a Lego-Up on the STEM world, by running a robotics summer day camp designed for middle school students.
Using the Lego Mindstorm EV-3 16-Student Curriculum Solution, the program offers a complete bundle for teaching computer science and STEM subjects using robotics.
Lego Robotics are on the cutting edge of STEM education, created to engage students with the passion for coding. BLEF is offering a one-week day camp designed to introduce the participants to the world of Lego Robotics. Students will build their robots and program them to perform real tasks.
The camp teaches basic programming concepts and introduction to computer science using a drag and drop interface.
BLEF’s Lego Robotics class is led by two recent graduates of Yosemite High School’s advanced robotics program, Chandler Clarke and Owen Bassett, and designed for students entering grades 6 – 8.
The camp runs Monday through Friday, July 10 – 14 from 9 a.m to 12:30 p.m. in the library/lab at Oakhurst Elementary School. The cost is $100 for the entire week. $25 is due with registration and the balance is due the first day of camp.
Bass Lake Education Foundation – register here.
The nonprofit BLEF purchased the reusable Lego Mindstorm package last fall for a well-received class that was said to be challenging even for kids who typically excel in this kind of work. That’s a good thing, as schools may lack some resources to address the interests of all students, and one of the BLEF goals is to provide a wide-range of programs, from art and sports to science.
The Bass Lake Education Foundation (BLEF) is an independent non-profit 503(c) public charity founded in 2009 after state-wide school budget cuts further reduced programs for youth in Madera County. By offering free clubs, low-cost workshops, and sponsoring field trips, BLEF promotes a love of learning, nature, and the sciences through a greater understanding of the living world. The organization is run by a small group of parent volunteers who do not take a salary, and BLEF has almost no overhead costs. All proceeds go directly back into the programs for children.
