Washburn Hosts STEM Camp

Topeka, Kan. - Build and fly a mini-drone. Test and redesign bubble wands. Construct popsicle bridges. Those are just some of the activities at the annual Washburn University Summer Transportation STEM camps.

The first session for rising 7th and 8th grade students is currently underway, with the second session scheduled for July 22-26. Students stay on campus for each session and participate in daily hands-on activities that relate to science, technology, engineering and math. Participants must have previously registered.

The Kansas Department of Transportation utilizes a grant to pay for the camp, which aims to encourage students to learn about the application of STEM in transportation and other careers. Washburn's department of education runs the camps with current and former Washburn University students acting as counselors and faculty overseeing experiments.

VISUALS: There are several opportunities to see the students working on projects. Here are some of the best visual opportunities (the schedule is the same for both camp sessions). An optimal opportunity to get an idea of this camp and see these students in action is the 3:30 p.m. Friday Student Showcase. Please contact Washburn University Public Relations at [email protected] to learn the location of each activity.

Monday

• 9:45 a.m., Solar cars
• 12:30 p.m., CAD bubble wands

Tuesday

• 9 a.m., KDOT presentation on bridges and building popsicle bridges
• 1 p.m., Visit Washburn Tech Electrical and Auto Service labs

Wednesday

• 9 a.m., Drones with Evergy
• 1 p.m., Test and redesign bubble wands
• 4 p.m., Beetle bike helmets

Thursday

• 9 a.m., KDOT materials lab
• 1 p.m., Robot Olympics

Friday

• 8:45 a.m., Test popsicle bridges
• 1 p.m., Final bubble test, giant bubbles and jitter bugs
• 3:30 p.m., Student showcase