Scouting Camp put donated LEGO Robotics Kits to Great Use
Department(s):
STEM Education CenterEarly this past summer the STEM Education Center at WPI and the WPI Robotics Resource Center donated surplus LEGO robotics kits to Treasure Valley Scout Reservation in Rutland, MA. Cameron Ganong, former Program Director, was "thrilled to have received the donation of LEGO Mindstorms and kits to assist with the first summer of their new offering! ...Scouts thoroughly enjoyed planning, building, and programming their very own LEGO robots. Each week, Scouts were broken up into groups where they were tasked with creating a robot to complete an obstacle course/maze. Through the use of the sensors and Mindstorms computer programs, our Scouts were able to learn about the basic key functions of robotics and programming.
Although the Robotics program was new, it quickly became the most popular badge of the summer! The class was completely filled for at least 3 of the 5 summer weeks! Unfortunately, we had to turn some Scouts away, but our Staff provided a great experience for the 25 Scouts who participated each week."
Treasure Valley Scout Reservation is a 1600-acre woodland facility, with 70 miles of trails, owned and operated by the BSA’s Heart of New England Council. It was founded in 1925. They offer exciting summer camp programs for youth ages 5–17, and year-round opportunities for Council and District events as well as rentals to Scouting Units and other non-profits.