[Domenic Rodriguez]

My team took a different approach to a robotics camp this past summer and used it as an outreach opportunity. We're a smaller team from a more rural area and didn't have the resources to run a huge camp, so we partnered with a local ministry organization and ran a week long series of day camps using our FLL teams' NXT bots. We had around 10-12 kids each day, ages 9-12. Most of them had never seen a robot before, much less had an opportunity to build one. We had plans for a curriculum at the start of the week, but later decided it would be better to just stick to a loose structure and let the kids experiment with the robots, guiding them along the way. At the end of the week we split the kids into two teams and had them build robots to complete the challenges of last year's FLL game. We also brought our 2013 FRC bot on the last day, which they really enjoyed seeing and getting to drive. Overall we had such a great response from the kids that we're now looking to set up a new FLL team in their area.

I guess the main lesson here is that even if you're low on resources, running a robotics camp can be a great opportunity, not only for recruiting/fundraising, but also for outreach. Getting to expose these kids to the wonders of science and technology was an awesome experience, and while it may not have been the most in-depth advanced camp ever, I know it's something many of them won't forget.