VANCOUVER, Wash. — Washington State University Vancouver, Educational Service District 112 and the Girl Scouts-Columbia River will sponsor “Fair Play: Design and Discovery Day Camp” from July 12-23.
The 10-day camp, held on the WSU Vancouver campus, is a program developed by the Girl Scouts and Intel Corp. to introduce girls ages 12-15 to the wonders of engineering. With a focus on the design world around them, girls explore fundamental concepts of engineering and design through hands-on activities, behind-the-scenes field trips and interaction with engineers, designers and researchers. Each girl will complete an independent project using skills she learns and present her invention in a Solutions Showcase the final day of camp.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce girls to the design world,” said Hakan Gurocak, director of the WSU Vancouver Engineering and Science Institute. “They will learn how to wire electronic devices, apply mechanical principles and develop an eye for improving everyday objects.”
Following the day camp, girls may continue their projects to the completion of a working prototype. Campers are matched with adult mentors, who are typically engineers or designers with experience in the subject area of the project. WSU Vancouver will also host six optional enrichment programs, held on consecutive Saturdays, taught by campus graduate students and led by campus faculty members.
ESD 112 will sponsor 10 girls from the Youth Workforce Program, which is designed to help young people make quality education and career choices through career exploration, educational support and work readiness training.
Camp hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Engineering Life Sciences Building. The cost to attend is $150. Scholarships are available to help offset camp fees. Space is limited to 25 girls per camp. Girls do not have to be registered Girls Scouts to participate. Registration opens June 1. To learn more about Fair Play: Design and Discovery Day Camp or to complete the application process, visit www.girlscoutscrc.org/programs.
