Licking Heights students are lighting the way to innovation.

This summer, the district will host a chapter of the renowned Camp Invention summer STEM camp, a national day camp where students complete themed hands-on learning activities. This year’s theme is “Illuminate” and will include projects like building a light-up game board, creating a customized glow box, engineering a tiny house, developing prototypes of inventions, and learning about filing patents for inventions.

“We are absolutely honored to host a local chapter of Camp Invention at Licking Heights this summer,” says Dr. Kevin S. Miller, Superintendent of Licking Heights. “This will both open the minds of our youngest students to scientific possibilities and progress, and establish Licking Heights as a leader in STEM education throughout Central Ohio. I want to personally express my gratitude to the team members who made this opportunity possible for our students.”

Camp Invention will take place at Licking Heights West Elementary, 1490 Climbing Fig Dr,

Blacklick, OH 43004 from June 24 to June 28, 2024. Sessions will go from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day and will be taught by Licking Heights teachers who are STEM experts. The camp is open to all Licking Heights students entering grades 2-5.

“Our district schools have committed themselves to creating age-appropriate STEM education starting in kindergarten, as we know this is an excellent way to develop the essential skills of critical thinking, creativity, and innovation within our students’ minds,” says Micca Conley, PreK-6 Curriculum Director at Licking Heights. “Bringing Camp Invention to West Elementary will take our district to the next level of providing STEM opportunities and encouraging innovative thinking in our students and students all throughout our region.”

Camp Invention is a project of the Alexandria, Virginia-based National Inventors Hall of Fame, a nonprofit organization which recognizes the inventors who built America and provides accessible, cutting-edge STEM education for children.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, which was applied for and secured by Heights Technology Integration Specialist Vicki Willet, Licking Heights students can also receive a discounted tuition rate for Camp Invention. Over 100 Heights students can attend camp for $35 instead of the $275 rate. Meta/Facebook is also providing funding to offset tuition costs.

Licking Heights is currently in the process of implementing STEM-based curriculum at all grade levels throughout the district, including development of a STEM curriculum at the elementary level and specialized classes at the elementary level, technology classes and extracurriculars at the intermediate and middle school levels, career-based education and graduation pathways at the high school, and applying for STEAM designation at Licking Heights Middle School.

Spots are limited. Interested families may register by contacting Camp Invention lead teacher Amy Mohler at [email protected] for more information.