{"id":48932,"date":"2025-07-31T01:36:08","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T01:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/48932\/"},"modified":"2025-07-31T01:36:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T01:36:08","slug":"students-showcase-creativity-ambition-at-luddy-precollege-summer-camp-luddy-school-of-informatics-computing-and-engineering-indiana-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/48932\/","title":{"rendered":"Students showcase creativity, ambition at Luddy precollege summer camp: Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering : Indiana University"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Three Campers focus on project during Luddy\u2019s Precollege Summer Camp.
Photo by Chris Kowalczyk, Luddy Communications <\/p>\n

\n Robots collided in a Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering\u2019s<\/a> Precollege Summer Camp challenge that showcased the campers\u2019 robotic ingenuity, Science Technology Engineer and Mathematics (STEM) potential and ability to learn fast and well.\n<\/p>\n

\n Last Friday at Luddy Hall, that meant Team Rhino Slammer, a four-drive-motor robot designed and constructed by high school students in just two days, defeating Team Flippy\u2019s two-drive-motor robot during a camp-closing sumo-like competition by twice knocking it off a table in Dorsey Hall.\n<\/p>\n

\n The winning strategy came down to this: \u201cRam with everything we\u2019ve got.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n With Europe\u2019s \u201cFinal Countdown\u201d playing in the background, robots demonstrated the ability to move forward, backward, and do 360-degree spins.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThis year, we met some of the most ambitious and creative students we\u2019ve ever had,\u201d said Leigh Levinson<\/a>, camp coordinator and Luddy Informatics and Cognitive Science Ph.D. student. \u201cThey did 20-plus projects that spanned from designing and animating in virtual reality to four-motor robotic prototypes and designing home security systems.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n The weeklong camp drew 80 high school students from around the country, including California, Texas, New York and even Puerto Rico. The technology-focused, hands-on camp focused on STEM and society while addressing topics such as cybersecurity, engineering, virtual reality and programming.\n<\/p>\n

\n Joshua Streiff<\/a>, director of pre-college camps and cybersecurity staff director for the Security & Privacy in Informatics, Computing and Engineering (SPIECE) Center<\/a>, said students could experience topics they\u2019d never explored before, and focus on a couple that most interested them.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThey can explore them in greater depth,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s only possible because Luddy has such a vast array of faculty, staff and students.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Lillian Jin was all in. Camp opportunities drew this senior-to-be from a Fort Wayne, Indiana, area high school for the second time. They were why she pushed possibilities of what she might one day do in STEM, and why she plans to enroll at Indiana University and the Luddy School for the 2026-27 academic year.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI like a lot of STEM ideas,\u201d Jin said. \u201cI want to be a part of it. I want to be a computer software engineer. This camp is perfect for me. I had such a great time last year. I wanted to do it again.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe environment is amazing. The counselors are amazing. Overall, it\u2019s a great camp.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Luddy has hosted this week-long camp since 2005, and the impact was obvious in its instructing and recruiting. Campers attended classes and engaged in academic competitions under the direction of a group of faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students. They explored topics that encompassed the Luddy School\u2019s many academic opportunities. They also participating in activities such as swimming, an escape room, crafts, sports (including tennis and pickleball), tie dye and board games. They stayed at Teter Quadrangle.\n<\/p>\n

\n An emphasis on recruiting young women and encouraging them to get involved in STEM programming produced female campers, more than ever before, Streiff said.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cWe give high schoolers a chance to sample a variety of classes in science and technology that can pique their interest in informatics, computer science, data science, robotics, cybersecurity and engineering,\u201d Levinson said.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cCampers are encouraged to participate in a design challenge where they consider how technology can be used to address socio-technical problems and opportunities. The week blends innovation and exploration while catering to the students\u2019 interests.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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Precollege Summer Camp students explain their robot’s winning design and strategy.
Credit: Photo by Chris Kowalczyk, Luddy Communications<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n The robotics competition topped Jin\u2019s must-do list.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cRobotics was one of the main topics I enjoyed and the design challenges that came with it. Our team focused on a product. I enjoyed making it and the process of it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n If the process got too complex, camp counselors offered guidance.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIf I had a problem and didn\u2019t know how to solve it,\u201d Jin said, \u201call the counselors helped. It meant so much to me that they care about our future.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Sarah Alf, a first-time camp participant and senior-to-be from the Chicago area, praised the camp\u2019s creative freedom and multiple opportunities.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cAll the counselors were super encouraging of our ideas and gave us the resources to take our ideas to the next level,\u201d she said. \u201cThe fact the camp wasn\u2019t just focused on learning was cool. We got opportunities to do a lot of things, meeting other kids with similar interests and make connections just like you would in college.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Highlights included web development classes.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI want to go into engineering with business, and the product design challenge helped bring out my business style, engineering style presentations and speaking,\u201d Alf said\n<\/p>\n

\n The Luddy School\u2019s diverse opportunities also made a big impression on Alf, who plans to choose a college this fall.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI\u2019m really into engineering. I wanted to do a college experience, and this camp gave me that opportunity to feel what it\u2019s like to be at a college and take real classes.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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Precollege Camp counselor instructs students during a mobile app design class.
Credit: Photo by Chris Kowalczyk, Luddy Communications<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n Streiff credited the counselors for making a big impact. That included Sam Popek<\/a>, a Luddy Informatics graduate who will pursue a master\u2019s degree in design innovation at the University of Wisconsin starting this fall. She taught a popular mobile app design class.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cA lot of campers get an eye opener for what fields they\u2019re interested in,\u201d she said. \u201cTech has a large variety of fields to go into. This camp gives them a taste of each unique field. They like trying new experiences and learning new things. It shows them what they can do in college.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n This was Popek\u2019s third year as a camp counselor. She started following a recommendation of fellow Luddy student Kareena Katsman, a four-year camp counselor.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI kept coming back because I enjoyed working with the campers, interacting with them and having fun experiences with them,\u201d she said. \u201cI wish I had gone to a tech camp when I was in middle school or high school just to get to experience all the opportunities.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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Precollege Camp student explores Luddy School opportunities
Credit: Photo by Chris Kowalczyk, Luddy Communications<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n Jon Stewart, an upcoming senior at a high school near Indianapolis, attended the camp for the first time.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI came for (academic) exploration. I\u2019ve been doing computer science for a while, and I wanted to expand into more fields. This was the perfect camp that brings a healthy mix of computer science, robotics, engineering, data science, and a slew of things.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Cyber security was a highlight. Stewart said he might pursue a career in it because of the camp and Steiff\u2019s impact.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cCyber security is more important now than ever. Joining in the workforce would be beneficial to me and everyone else. This camp opened new paths for me.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Alaya Lewis, an upcoming sophomore at an Indianapolis high school, arrived with a strong interest in STEM.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe counselors made it fun and engaging,\u201d she said. \u201cThey were all bright and brought a lot of energy. The other campers saw it, too.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Lewis said she wants to study animals as a career. Luddy has the world\u2019s first degree programs in Animal-Computer Interaction (ACI) and Animal Informatics.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cThe camp was a good and positive environment,\u201d she said. \u201cIt had so much to offer and teach. You got the chance to have fun and try new things.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Lewis added that she would tell future campers to \u201ctake as many classes as you can. Not a lot of kids get this opportunity. We need to take advantage as best we can.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Joseph Waltman, an upcoming senior from Indianapolis said the camp\u2019s cybersecurity classes made a big impact given he plans to pursue a career in the field.\n<\/p>\n

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Precollege Camp students celebrate winning robot competition
Credit: Photo by Chris Kowalczyk, Luddy Communications<\/a>\n<\/p>\n

\n Camp advantages went well beyond academics \u2013 including the fact students walked almost five miles a day while expending intellectual and physical energy. Streiff said the social component and providing a place where students can fit in were also important.\n<\/p>\n

\n Levinson said she enjoyed fostering \u201cSTEM geekdoms\u201d while also building campers\u2019 confidence in their ideas, encouraging them to work on teams, and watching them learn with Luddy students as their counselors.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIt was exciting to see what the next generation of Luddy students is already doing in very short spans of time.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Jin praised the camp\u2019s longevity and opportunities.\n<\/p>\n

\n \u201cIf you have the chance to take this camp, please do. It has taught me so many things.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n Added Stewart: \u201cThe people here are great. The staff is very friendly. They take the time to get to know you. It was a fun, healthy experience.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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\n Luddy also hosted a Sea-Cadet Camp in conjunction with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.<\/a> Streiff described it as the Navy\u2019s version of the ROTC. Nearly 20 students from around the country will participate. Streiff, Robert Templeman<\/a>, executive director of IU\u2019s Cybersecurity Innovation, and Isak Asare,<\/a> co-director for the Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program, are among the instructors.\n<\/p>\n

\n Streiff previously directed a cybersecurity camp for high school girls earlier this summer. The weeklong virtual camp was designed for young women interested in getting experience with popular cybersecurity tools and technology, with a focus on artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Campers focus on project during Luddy\u2019s Precollege Summer Camp.Photo by Chris Kowalczyk, Luddy Communications Robots collided in a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":48933,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[191,74],"class_list":{"0":"post-48932","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-computing","8":"tag-computing","9":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48932"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48932\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=48932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=48932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}