Kids Unleash Creativity at Camp Invention

In 8-year-old Rachel Hodo’s hands is the “The Pet Maker,” a contraption the rising third-grader invented. On the other side of the room, Meera Rathod, 7, proudly shows off her “spy dog.”

“It catches bad guys,” she said.

The homemade contraptions were just two of the fanciful inventions that filled during a showcase for parents and students at last week’s

Rachel, who said she’d like her Pet Maker to produce her a turtle – she is in a “turtle phase” according to her parents -- loved every minute of it.

“I had an awesome time,” she said.

A part of the national Invent Now enrichment program for students entering grades one through six, the weeklong camp, which ended Friday, attracted about 75 children from the region to the elementary school.

Rotating between five stations, children participated in imaginative play that touched on science, technology, engineering, math, history and the arts.  Angela Cardillo, a Rowan Elementary teacher who is in her third year overseeing the event, said this year’s program was dubbed “Camp Spark.”

Among other things, the children, with camp counselors’ assistance -- mostly local teachers whom Cardillo handpicked -- learned how to use polymer to make a bouncy ball, invented machines and wrote advertisements to sell them.

“It’s just a great camp,” Cardillo said.

Maureen Folino, a teacher in the Penn Hills School District whose son, Nicholas, 8, participated in the camp, agreed.

“I think it’s a great way to get the kids minds moving,” she said.

Ron Darak, whose son, Dylan, 9, put together a shield and mask during camp, said he enjoyed the “take apart” unit where the children disassembled appliances and examined their parts.

“I like that it lets them experience creativity,” he said.