A Summer of Learning in Limestone at MSSM
Guest Blogger: Ryan McDonald, MSSM
The Maine School of Science and Mathematics Summer Camp is an exhilarating experience for campers ages 10-14. The camp blends classes in science, technology, engineering, and math with the traditional summer camp activities such as water slide, Family Olympics, Monster Night, and a talent show.
In its 21st year, the MSSM summer camp encourages campers to pursue their passions and become scientists, computer programmers, engineers, and mathematicians for a week through hands-on, interactive classes.
Each year the MSSM summer camp offers a variety of topics such as “We See 3D”, “Astronomy Mystery tour”, computer programming, robotics, and building popsicle stick bridges. Classes change each year depending on the interests and availability of the instructors. In 2017, we had a Rube Goldberg class called “Complicating the Simple” where students made seemingly pointless contraptions that involved balls rolling along tracks and knocking over things that eventually open a door.
Another popular class was “Calculus in a Week.” This is a class usually taken by seniors in high school, but we have a math teacher that knows how to teach it as an introductory class at a middle school level. It’s always a blast for the kids to do this upper-level math and then return to their schools and be able to understand more than the rest of the class. The other class taught by the same teacher is “Games and How to Win Them Using Math.” People think games like Monopoly are completely random, but there are strategies about which properties to buy and if/when to buy hotels.
This summer we have the standard favorite, “Learn Computer Programming” and the always popular “Blast Off Rocketry”, but we’ve added some new robotics classes. There’s an intro to LEGO Robotics and this year there will be an advanced class called LEGO Pentathlon. A number of campers are looking forward to the Rubik’s Cube class where they learn the algorithm to solve it.
In addition to the STEM based classes, campers also participate in a variety of activities in the afternoon and evenings. These activities include a slip n’ slide, capture the flag, swimming, NERF wars, duct tape art, tie-dying, and rock climbing. No previous knowledge is required to participate, just an interest in learning and having fun.
The camp goes for 5 weeks starting July 1st and this year we have a co-ed week right in the middle. The first two weeks are boys’ weeks, the middle one is the co-ed Capstone Week, and the last two are for girls. The idea behind the new Capstone Week is much more than the co-ed experience. It’s designed to be a special “thank you send-off” for the students age 14 that will age out of camp.
We’ve been doing the camp for 20 years and getting better each year. We want the MSSM Summer Camp to be something kids remember forever. Not just the cutting edge STEM classes, but also the new friends from all around the world they meet.
