Category Archives: Summer

LigerBots Complete Session 2 of Online Summer cAMP for Elementary Students

The LigerBots robotics team has completed the second two-week session of its online summer LigerBots cAMP (Awesome Mentoring Program) for elementary students. with much enthusiasm and support from teen counselors and their elementary-school students. Each session ends with a showcase of students’ accomplishments, and this session’s celebration highlighted CAD creations, music composed in under six hours, and a drawing of a well constructed Aquaponics system. This summer the LigerBots cAMP will connect with about 200 students in Newton, Needham, Lexington, Boston, Brookline, and even New Jersey and Ohio! cAMP gives students opportunities to connect with old and new friends. cAMP’s teen counselors — almost 100 in all, from Newton, Brookline, Cambridge, Andover, and beyond — are gaining experience in teaching and interacting with younger students while building their resumés and having fun. The remaining sessions are August 3-14, and August 17-28.

Z-Kai Offers Online Coding, Robotics, and STEM Literacy Enrichment for Elementary Students

Z-Kai USA, based in Arlington, started in 2018 as a U.S. subsidiary of the large Japanese college-prep training company Z-Kai, started in 1931. It’s pursuing a different strategy in the U.S. by focusing on coding and robotics classes for elementary students and partnering with LEGO Education, Tufts CEEO, and MIT Scratch. During the COVID shutdown, several of its classes are online: Zoom Up Math, Java Script Coding, Basic Robotics, and STEM Literacy. In the STEM Literacy course, students read a book (e.g., about bridges), learn relevant terminology, then are asked to define the problem to be solved, and finally solve the problem (using LEGO). See schedule here for summer and after-school programs. For more information, email info@zkai-usa.com.

Tufts CEEO Online Design & Engineering Workshops

Tuft’s Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) is offering these online Design and Engineering Workshops in August:

Edge on Science: Create an In-Person Group-of-Friends STEM Week

Edge on Science runs STEM enrichment programs throughout the year in the greater Boston area and beyond. In addition to its summer camps, this summer it’s offering parents the opportunity to gather a pod of 5 to 8 friends for a COVID-safe week of STEM learning and fun. Topics range among bridge building, catapult engineering, drones, astronomy, hydraulics, microscopes, rockets, and whales. The organizing parent gets a 50% discount and others get early-bird pricing. Call founder John Aviste at 315-486-2289 for details.

Black Girls CODE: Virtual Summer Camps and Free Webinars

Black Girls CODE is offering virtual summer camps and related online events. The cost for each week of virtual summer camp is $299 and scholarships are available on a sliding scale based on need. The webinars are free.

  • July 20-25: Virtual Summer Camp — Video Game Development, ages 10-17. Register for Group A (10AM-12PM EDT), Group B (1PM-3PM EDT), or Group C (4PM – 6PM EDT).
  • July 27-August 1: Virtual Summer Camp — iOS Development, ages 13-17. Regster for Group A (10AM-12PM EDT), Group B (1PM-3PM EDT), or Group C (4PM – 6PM EDT).

In addition, Black Girls Code offers free webinars on related topics. Register at these links:

LigerBots Seek More HS Students to be Counselors at Virtual “cAMP” for Elementary Students

Ligerbots cAMP — the virtual summer camp created and run by the LigerBots‘ Awesome Mentoring Project — is underway and is proving to be a blast for both elementary student campers and high-school student teacher/counselors. Subjects range from core subjects and STEAM skills to dance, astronomy, and so much more. The LigerBots now seek additional high-school students as teacher/counselors for Session 4 (August 17-28). Teach a subject of your choice online. Commit to 6 hours per week during the session, plus online training to help you prepare. Gain experience teaching while building your resumé and having fun. Everything happens over Zoom. Sign up by July 19.

NSHS Science Team Mentors Middle-School Students

The Newton South HS Science Team — led by captains Frank Liu, David Kim, and Lucy Dutton — is starting an online mentorship program to introduce middle-school students to high-school science. Middle-school students will benefit by filling in gaps in their curriculum during the shutdown while also interacting with high-school students. Students can ask questions about science and high school and get to know Science Team members. The program aims to be introductory and preparatory, addressing the basics of physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and related topics. It is designed mainly for students who will be in Grade 9 at Newton high schools in the fall, but it’s open to anyone interested in science. Weekly sessions will be scheduled based on availability and demand. Interested parents should fill out this form to express interest and learn more.

Tufts CEEO In-Person Summer Workshops in Engineering, K-12

Tuft’s Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO) will hold several in-person, one-week workshops this summer for elementary, middle, and high school students to learn engineering from Tufts University staff and undergraduate students who are researching how best to teach engineering to K-12 students. The goal of these in-person workshops is to evoke curiosity and passion for engineering through hands-on design challenges while keeping the health and safety of students and teachers the highest priority. Refunds will be paid in the event that workshops are canceled due to revised guidance from Tufts University or the CDC. Register at these links: