Students combine technology with imagination during Makerspace summer camp

Technology is taking over, and during the Makerspace Summer Camp by Lawton Public Schools, elementary students learned how to use technology in creative ways.

“It’s been a joy,” Robin Harris, the administrator of the Makerspace Camp, said last week during the Makerspace Expo in the Life Ready Center, 702 NW Homestead Drive. During the Expo, the students showcased their accomplishments to their parents and other family members.

“We wanted to teach the kids how to create new things in life and to use their imagination and explore,” Harris said. For example, with the help of a 3D printer, she said, the students could design their own animals.

“There’s a lot of stuff to know about 3D printing, a lot of rules,” Benjamin Keemer, 10, said. 3D printing was one of his favorite activities, along with LEGO building and drones, which he found “pretty cool.”

“It gets the imagination going,” Harris said. “We all learn through play, and the camp was very hands-on. It motivates the kids to learn more.”

The camp was designed to teach students about STEM, science, technology, engineering, and math, and its related subjects in a fun and engaging way, according to a release by LPS. Students built their own rockets, drones and airplanes, learned about eSports, which is becoming more on more popular, and built their own robots.

“They created their own thing and made it move,” Harris said.

“I really liked it, there were a lot of fun activities,” Ava Garcia, 10, said. “There were lots of steps to do, but it was great to see how our projects turned out. I learned a lot.”

Building and flying drones was one of the favorite activities for the students, such as Mieke Wagner, 10, and Xavier Guthrie, 10. While Wagner liked flying the drones, Guthrie enjoyed putting them together and learn “how they operate.” Even a scavenger hunt was conducted with the drones, Guthrie said.