An Inventive Summer Camp

Edison Guest House. Image: Edison & Ford Winter Estates

One of the greatest claims to fame for the United States has been its ability to invent—and perhaps no time period illustrated this better than the late 19th century and early 20th century. This was the heyday of two giants in engineering history, Edison and Ford. And Chris Pendleton, CEO of Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Meyers, FL, is out to have the property’s summer inventing camp be a standout as well. A main focus of the camp is, of course, engineering-related subjects, so much so that its abbreviated winter camp actually focuses only on engineering and robotics.

“It’s heartwarming to walk in and see how kids relate to each other, see the projects they’re working on,” says Pendleton. “It’s an old-fashioned concept of learning and getting to know your friends and creating a product.”

Take the soap box derby, for example. “They’re learning the basics about engineering—simple machines, how wheels will work, friction,” says Pearce Augustenborg, educational coordinator for the camp. It can be a humbling experience as many kids think it will be easy, says Augustenborg. But they soon find using cardboard for the body and skewers for axels does not necessarily make for a successful ride. “It can expose gaps in knowledge,” he says.

Thomas Edison once said, “To be a good inventor you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” Image: Edison & Ford Winter Estates

Another popular activity for campers, who are comprised of first through sixth graders, is the Lego zipline. “You build structures out of pulleys and make it go all the way down the zipline,” he says. “We’ll talk about the science behind it and, once we’re ready to go, we usually give them about twenty minutes to half an hour and then, if there’s time, we try to improve on what’s been done.”

Green inventing also has its place. Toilet paper rolls become rollercoaster tracks and two-liter bottles become rockets. “Edison really was all about sustainability, reuse, and availability of resources, many of them natural,” offers Pendleton, who was executive director of the Science Museum of Western Virginia and the CEO of the Coastal Discovery Museum.

But the camp also remembers that accomplishments can sometimes be helped or hindered by the ability to present. “The goal is for kids to not just do the projects but have the communication skills to get up in front of parents, the collective body, and peers to talk about what they’ve learned,” says Pendleton, once a physics and math teacher.

For the Love of Robotics

They’ve been able to build the camp partly through contributions. Among their most prized might be a robotic arm, one which has held up against the encouraged hands-on mentality. An engineer donor from a robotics company not only set them up with it but spoke to the children, one of many who have taken the time to give campers professional insight. More than a foot tall and containing eight servos, the kids can control the arm’s motors.

Campers also learn how to drive robots around, even having a “Robot Olympics-like” scenario. “The challenges are basic. Pick this thing up and put it in a bowl, or make a catapult that can shoot something on a target, or drive through this maze,” Augustenborg says. “Learn by doing.”

The greatest payoff for Augustenborg, other than improving childrens’ skills, is seeing the looks on their faces from the experience (Pendleton even reveals that some campers have gone on to be counselors and interns).

“You’re trying to get these kids to take a lunch break and they just won’t do it,” Augustenborg laughs. “Or they’ll eat their snacks super fast and just say, ‘Can I get back to my robot now?’

Eric Butterman is an independent writer.

For Further Discussion

It’s heartwarming to walk in and see how kids relate to each other, see the projects they’re working on.

Chris Pendleton, CEO, Edison & Ford Winter Estates