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Young Inventors Discover Joys of Learning

Summer enrichment program shows kids fun in science and mathematics.

You might not think it's possible to create a spaceship, a flying car, twin leopard geckos and a "super-duper" computer all in a day's work, but that's exactly what kids at Club Invention did last week and then some.

"The overall point of the program is to show kids that they can do things too," said Melanie Konstandakis, director of the week-long summer camp at Pierce Elementary School. "It's not just up to adults to figure everything out."

The enrichment program, developed by Invent Now Kids, an Ohio-based nonprofit, drew more than 100 local kids, mostly from Arlington, going into grades one through six. It's aimed at making science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) more fun for elementary school students through hands-on learning and creative thinking, and it seems to be working.

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"I don't usually enjoy science," said 9-year-old Catherine de Frondeville, a student at Brackett Elementary, "but here, they let you do what you want."

Konstandakis, a history teacher at Arlington High School, said the instructors, most of whom are also local teachers, give the kids general projects but then let them create unique results.

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In Linda Flynn's section, campers built Styrofoam creatures with toothpicks, golf tees, feathers and other assorted decorations and then added a battery-powered motor to make them come alive.

"No two creatures are ever alike," said Flynn, a physical education teacher at Hardy Elementary.

Best friends Reese Hogan and Alana Colety, both 9-year olds at Pierce, proved Flynn wrong Wednesday, making twin leopard geckos named Lizzy and Izzy.

"We both love this camp," said Hogan, who also attended last year. "We like inventing stuff, making stuff and making friends."

One of the program's core themes is problem solving, as 8-year-old Anya Miller learned the hard way with her battery-powered cat.

"My cat is just spinning in circles," said a perplexed Miller. "I'm trying to get it to go straight."

She eventually was successful.

The students rotate through the camp's five sections, each with its own project, during the six-hour day.

In one section, kids bring in something from home, take it apart and then invent something new.

That's where Declan Ryan, 6, made a "super-duper" computer that allows you to talk underground through a series of paper-towel rolls and straws firmly secured to an old computer keyboard. Max Schmid, 6, created a spaceship out of a clock, milk carton and empty Pop-Ice box, and Robbie Khazan, also 6, invented a car that could fly, most likely due to the shampoo bottle duct-taped to its hood.

"Everything's interesting," Khazan said of the program. "You can build and learn a lot of things."

The camp, now in its third year in Arlington, has grown to be the largest Club Invention program in New England.

Konstandakis said it helps kids realize that they no longer have to wait for the summer to have fun. Learning and discovery can be fun too, she said.

Club Invention programs in eastern Massachusetts are still taking entrants for this summer. For more information click here.


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