SAE International, SME Join to Offer Engineering Camps in Colorado

WARRENDALE, Pa., -- Students in grades 4-6 from Odyssey Elementary School in Colorado School District 49 will learn the fundamentals of mobility engineering during Gateway Camp, June 16-20.

The five-day camp is co-sponsored by SAE International and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation.

Gateway Camp participants will use SAE International's award-winning A World In Motion(R) (AWIM) curriculum, which is funded by the SAE Foundation.

The SAE Foundation-funded program recently won the National Science Foundation's prestigious 2008 Public Service Award for its work to increase the public's understanding of science and engineering. The SAE Foundation was recognized for its AWIM curriculum and for its Collegiate Design Series program.

Gateway Camp specifically is designed by the SME Education Foundation and SAE International to help talented elementary school students explore careers in science, technology, engineering and math.

"We are happy to partner with SME for the Gateway Camp," Matthew Miller, Manager, K-12 Education Programs for SAE International, said. "Programs such as these provide an important service by helping to educate students at an early age in the essential learning skills of science and math."

AWIM brings math and science principles to life through highly interactive learning experiences that incorporate the laws of physics, motion, flight and electronics. "Challenges" include building a skimmer propelled by air that glides across a surface; building a jet toy with a chassis that is powered by a balloon; and building a steel-can rover. All challenges are designed to bring authentic engineering design experiences to the classroom.

SAE International and SME previously held a Gateway Camp at Discovery Canyon Campus School in Colorado Springs School District 20, June 9-13.