Robotics, kites, pinball machines at this summer camp

Students learn about science, technology and engineering with hands-on, fun projects during South Orangetown School’s Summer STEAM Camp held at Tappan Zee High School.

Coordinator Samantha Levine runs the summer camp for K-8 students in the district.

“We have classes on science, like air science and sound. We have technology, robots. We have engineering classes for cars and airplanes, we do art and mindfulness classes here, and we hope that the students get a mix of everything throughout the time that they’re here,” Levine said.

Kindergarten and first-grade students recently engineered kites as part of their studies, learning about the properties of air and how it moves.

“Then we looked at a classroom with cardboard engineering, where they’re making their own mini-golf courses and talking about the movement of balls and kinetic and potential energy,” Levine said.

“Next, we saw a robotics class where they’re using Spheros to code and make them go through mazes,” she said. And in another class, sixth- through eighth-graders were making pinball machines.

“We have gotten a lot of feedback both from the students and the parents, how much they enjoy the camp here. We actually heard a girl in the hallway the other day saying they wanted the camp never to end and they would even come on weekends ,” Levin said. “Overall, I think they have a great time.”