Corpus Christi (KIII News) — Logic, physics and robotics are just a few of the topics children as young as 11-years-old learned at this summer's 2018 Engineering Camp.
11-year-old Stevie Pimentel and his robotics partner Jacobe West have different priorities than your average middle schooler. According to the boys, getting hands-on science experience is worth giving up lounging around in the summer.
"I love science, and I can also get ahead of the game. Like we do much learning at the start, but it's worth it. You'll be ahead of everybody," Pimentel said.
The boys are so ahead they know how to program a robot that can sense when and where to turn by itself.
"We took a laptop, and we use a programming software, and we wrote lines of code, and we uploaded it to here with a USB, and you hit this green button here and it starts the program," West said.
Students also learned how to engineer a structurally sound bridge.
According to Wendy Castellanos, her children wouldn't have learned these skills until way later in life if she didn't put them in the camp.
"This program is a game changer, for their lives, for their career planning, and for what their hopes and aspirations can be. They make it completely realistic and attainable for these girls," Castellanos said.
The skills learned don't just apply to science.
"They have to maintain focus on the goal and attain it little by little, and we don't think there is a better preparation we could give them for life at large," Program Director James Schollenberger said.
The Pre-Freshman Engineering Camp has been held for the last 18 years, and they plan to continue growing it each year.
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