July 1, 2008

News Release

TISD Summer Campers Construct Robots and Houses

Tyler ISD and the University of Texas at Tyler’s GEAR Up Summer Camp are working together to give students the opportunity to explore robots and house design.  John Tyler High School students will end this three week camp with a robotics competition and a presentation of their house designs on Thursday, July 3, 2008, at Boulter Middle School, located at 2926 Garden Valley Road in Tyler, Texas.  The robotics competition will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.  The house design presentations will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria.

            Students in the Robotics Camp are exploring a variety of topics including measurement, ratios, patterns and probability to accomplish specific tasks.  There will be four competitions where the students’ robots will have to make a decision and perform an action, navigate through mazes, race against other robots and be able to maneuver a specific course.

These ninth grade students are seeing first hand how math and science skills are applied in everyday life.  “This has been a great opportunity for the students to experience the application of math and science concepts that they learn in the classroom,” said Blake Helm, lead teacher for the Robotics Summer Camp. 

            Students in the House Design Camp are increasing their math skills and getting introduced to geometry.  They have taken the concept of building a house from blue prints to design board. Students have designed a house beginning with budgeting, mortgages, and ending with interior design.  The students’ design board presentations will be judged by a representative from Southside Bank in Tyler.

            According to Vanessa McFarland, Tyler ISD GEAR Up coordinator, the purpose of the camps is to give students an opportunity to strengthen their math and science skills while school is on summer break.

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