While it’s great to remain physically active on the field or on the court, partaking in activities that are also intellectually stimulating can have many benefits. At LuHi, not only do we have sports, but we also have a bustling STEM program. In fact, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) activities promote creativity, inventiveness, and ingenuity. Here are several ways your child can harness the educational benefits of STEM programs.
STEM programs teach practical solutions to real-world problems
With STEM programs, your child will be tasked with coming up with practical solutions to real-world problems. Whether it’s using the right amount of water to make a bottle rocket go higher or cutting friction to make a balloon car go faster, your child will quickly learn to come up with quick, actionable, and inventive solutions that remediate their problems.
In turn, this forces your child to think outside of the box and devise strategies that they may not otherwise come up with. This will also translate to your child’s life outside of camp, as it fosters a sense of initiative in your child to take action when presented with real-world problems. It’s a great way to cultivate a well-rounded and intellectual mindset in your child!
Your child learns how to communicate effectively
Effective communication is another important landmark for your child’s development. STEM programs are a great way to foster your child’s communication skills, as they’ll most likely be working alongside other campers to reach a common goal. Core skills that are cultivated here include teamwork, interpersonal communication, reading body language, and overall socialization skills.
At LuHi, part of our STEM programming includes STEM Select — which is designed for the child interested in learning about the world around them. Part of STEM Select is our Robotics & Engineering regimen. Here, your child will team with others and partake in daily competitions — all while designing, building, and testing using LEGO Mindstorms EV3 kits.
In addition to that, we also offer Video Game Design! Campers spend two weeks learning the necessary skills to take his/her creative ideas and put them into action! Campers will learn the foundations of Python and use PyGame to program classic arcade games, building towards designing their own unique game to bring home to challenge friends and family.
LuHi also offers Competitive Gaming & E-Sports, where campers learn firsthand how to communicate effectively with teammates under a time crunch to achieve a common goal — an essential life skill for all.
STEM programs spur curiosity and innovation
Campers who enter STEM programs will often leave more curious about the world around them and oftentimes will spur innovation afterward. With STEM programs, your child will combine an interdisciplinary approach and practical knowledge, along with their life experiences, to draw conclusions and spark innovation in their daily lives.
Innovation also ties into the aspect of communicating effectively with teammates. Dictionary.com defines the word “Innovate” as “to introduce something new; make changes in anything established.” While one team member may present an idea, a child with STEM-influence may add on to said idea by introducing a groundbreaking element to solve a team’s problems.
Famed astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson once said that STEM enthusiasts “say here is a problem … I am going to find a way to solve it.” Food for thought!
Your child can develop a new passion
On top of the plethora of intellectual and social benefits that STEM programs can afford your child, there’s also the personal element of developing a new passion! STEM programs, as the name suggests, are a collection of ideas between Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
With these four fields in play, there are an unlimited number of possibilities and opportunities for your child to explore and grow. There’s also a great possibility that STEM programs set your child on a path that eventually burgeons into a lifelong career!
Scientists, astronauts, engineers, and all of the trades in between are cultivated through STEM programs!
STEM programs instill confidence in your child
Lastly, STEM programs can help instill confidence — an essential component to intellectual development — in your child! In working alongside teammates or even by themselves, knowing that you solved a challenging problem or equation on your merits creates an intrinsic motivation, thus empowering your child.
On top of that, your child can develop confidence through the competition that STEM programs, like the robotics competitions here at LuHi. Setting measurable goals and taking the appropriate steps to achieving them (like winning that robotics competition!) certainly helps your child in boosting their confidence while also instilling an innate drive in them, too.
STEM programs at LuHi
At LuHi, we offer STEM programs that range from Robotics & Engineering to Competitive Gaming & E-Sports.
Our STEM programs are directed by Harold Kennedy, who has worked at LuHi for 10 years and has amassed numerous accolades — including establishing the school’s first Tech Challenge team and led them to the World Championships on a number of occasions. He has also founded the school’s E-Sports team. He is accompanied by Pete Xanthus, our STEM partner and owner/founder of X-RobotX.
Through our programs, we foster a welcoming environment conducive to learning and promoting growth within your child. To learn more about LuHi’s offerings, please visit our website and contact us today to learn more!