Building on last year’s success, the RKYHS Maker Experience returns for a four-week intensive science program this summer, from July 3 through July 28. The Maker Experience Program is designed to get incoming 8th-12th grade students excited about science, engineering and robotics and to get them “learning science by doing science.” The program teaches innovation and invention and focuses on “hands-on” learning and investigation, tasking students with analyzing real-world problems, and designing and actually building real-world solutions.

This program is a compact and intense extension of the highly successful RKYHS full-year STEM program. The program focuses on problem solving and encourages innovation and invention, while teaching substantive science, mathematics and a variety of gateway skills, including electronics, circuitry, programming, genetics, mechanics, design and data analysis. The program culminates in the presentation of the students’ projects at a program-ending conference, where the students display and explain their original work to their peers, parents and professionals in the field. Past students created many functional projects and devices related to novel energy sources, water purification, biometric analysis including EKG, EEG and EMG controlled devices and devices to help disabled individuals, and included an innovative Epipen case that takes a GPS location and texts emergency numbers when the case is opened and the pen is in use. Students also learn and work with 3D-computer-assisted design and 3D printing to facilitate building their prototypes.

The hands-on Open House for students and parents to learn more about the program is scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at RKYHS, 110 South Orange Ave. in Livingston. For more information, please contact Abbey Roth at [email protected].