RIPLEY COUNTY, IN — Genesis: Pathways to Success, an initiative of the Ripley County Community Foundation, successfully hosted two STEM camps this summer: Future Ready Robotics Camp and Kids Building Bikes Camp. A total of forty-one students were impacted between the two camps.
Future Ready Robotics Camp took place at St. Louis Catholic School on July 13th, 14th, and 15th where thirty-three students from various schools throughout Ripley County participated in the three-day camp. Students were divided into teams to build a robot that could compete in the VEX IQ 2021-2022 “Pitching In” Challenge. In this challenge, teams work together to score as many points as possible by manipulating yellow balls into certain areas on the playing field with plows, scoops, friction grabbers, and/or catapults.
“Robotics Camp was a great way for me to meet new people and learn how to adjust in teams,” said Kaitlynn Hicks, an attendee of Future Ready Robotics Camp and an upcoming 7th grader at Milan Middle School. Hicks further stated, “I also enjoyed how it challenged me to take charge and discover new ways to improve my knowledge in robotics for this coming school year.”
Sponsors for Future Ready Robotics Camp included Amack’s Well, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, Purdue IN-MaC, Ripley County Court Services JDAI, Ripley County Community Foundation, and St. Louis Catholic School.
Kids Building Bikes Camp served as the second stepping stone to The Great STEM Bike Ride, which took place at the Tyson Activity Center over the course of four consecutive Fridays in July. Eight students worked in Nine13sports’ mobile bike lab where they assembled their very own bicycle and were taught about bicycle maintenance, rider safety skills, and rules of the road. The last day of camp concluded with a celebratory bike ride around Versailles where students biked to Busching Covered Bridge near the Versailles State Park and later to Emily’s Brew for a delicious and refreshing ice cream treat.
Brady Wonnell, a participant in Kids Building Bikes Camp and an upcoming 8th grader at Batesville Middle School, stated, “This camp gave me the opportunity to learn how to fix my bicycle and build upon my problem solving skills. It was such a blast because it ended with me receiving a new bike, helmet, and lock.” Wonnell also said, “One of my favorite part about camp was getting to ride down the big hill to the bridge near the park. The ride back up was not my favorite, but I made it!”
Sponsors for Kids Building Bikes Camp included Global Atlantic Financial Group, Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, McDonald’s of Southeastern Indiana, Ripley County Court Services JDAI, Ripley County Community Foundation, Tyson Activity Center, and the United Way of Franklin County.
“It was fascinating to see so many students take-part in a hands-on learning environment where they could enhance various skills, such as their critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork abilities, in order to strengthen the mechanics of the robot or to adjust the brakes on their bicycle,” stated Clarice Patterson, Director of Genesis: Pathways to Success. Patterson further noted, “I’ve realized through these camps that every student is unique through their creativity and approach to learning or solving problems. The students that thrive here in Ripley County are capable of amazing things.”
To learn more information about this year’s summer camps, please contact Clarice Patterson by emailing [email protected], calling (812) 933-1098, or stopping by the office at 13 E. George Street, Suite B, Batesville, IN, 47006.
(Genesis: Pathways to Success press release)
