By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Students intently studied lines of code to move a small robot a matter of inches. Others combed instruction manuals trying to make a box of blocks into something that would move.
Students from the Hays USD 489 school district migrant program participated in a STEM camp this week.
The students in grades preschool through 11th grade focused on science, technology, engineering, mathematics and reading.
The student built small robots, programmed robots to move through mazes, programed robots to draw shapes, and manipulated small origami frogs through a computer program.
Younger students also learned basic programming skills to move colorful robots on paths of tape.
The purpose of the program is to keep students engaged during the summer in order to minimize losses in learning.
“It is a federally funded program,” Shanna Dinkel, assistant superintendent, said. “There is always a concern that there will be a loss of academics during the summer for all kids. It is really important to make it fun and approach it in a different way to make sure they stay engaged and they don’t lose some skills.”
In addition to the week-long camp, the students will be given tablets to take home that are loaded with learning software. This will be followed with home visits and visits to the library to participate in its reading program.
Younger students were equipped with school supplies, including crayons, flash cards and numbers.
Hays eighth-grader Anthony Guzman said of a coding project, “At first it is confusing and then it gets really fun.”
The students also participated in the first of a series of book giveaways that were sponsored by the Kansas Health Foundation and Midwest Energy.
The program will give out $5,000 worth of books to students of all kinds throughout the summer.
The program also seeks to help students retain learning over the summer.
Valerie Zelenka, professor in the College of Education at Fort Hays State University, helps coordinate the program.
Research has indicated students who do not have books in their homes develop a larger learning gap during the summer that those who do have books, she said.
“We are trying to get books in the hands of kids,” Zelenka said.
Further, students who have English as their second language or who come from low socioeconomic backgrounds also tend to struggle over the summer with reading.
FHSU athletes as well as Paul Adams, dean of the FHSU College of Education and USD 489 school board member, were on hand to help hand out the books.
The athletes autographed the books and played basketball and football with the students.