STEM Residential Camp Gorham5
Description
We welcome inspired & scientifically-minded youth to join us on the beautiful University of Southern Maine - Gorham campus for our overnight STEM summer camps!

These camps build on our popular day-camp programs, offering opportunities for mentored exploration of relevant science, technology, engineering, and math concepts through hands-on learning opportunities, led by industry professionals & classroom educators. We have some of our long-standing favorite curriculums as well as a few new ones to offer as activities throughout the overnight camp week:

  • LEGO Robotics - The LEGO Education robotics platform (one of many accessible entry points to robotics education) has been inspiring youth to pursue education, careers & lifelong passions in computer science & engineering since 1999 - and we have been using that platform to educate & inspire youth in Maine for almost as long. This activity encourages participants to solve engineering challenges through building their own robots and programming them to interface with sensors & motors, solving missions & challenges in a team-based environment.

  • Programming in Minecraft - This is a game-based learning session that combines one of the most popular video games of our time (Minecraft) with the ever-increasingly important skill of computer programming. In combination with Minecraft Education software, “modded” Minecraft, and a software development platform, participants will learn computer programming logic while playing Minecraft - using their skills to customize the game. The camp uses both “block-coding” (picture-based code) & standard text-based languages like Lua, JavaScript, and even Java or Python for our advanced participants. Some camps sessions will even go into basic 3D model design to create custom elements along with their programs.

  • 3D Printing & Design - 3D printers have rapidly become a widely used tool in manufacturing, prototyping, and have even become more widespread for home/hobbyist use. Though the technology has become much more accessible in recent years, there is still a lot of background knowledge required to use these machines successfully. This camp covers all aspects of the 3D printing & design process - including setting up printers & parameters, understanding how to use slicers and other interfacing programs and designing 3D models for print. Campers who sign up for this activity will also take home their own 3D printer - we anticipate that the model this year will be the Ender 3 V3 KE.

  • Introduction to Arduino - An interaction of our microcontroller camps, this session focuses on constructing projects based on the Arduino microcontroller. Participants will interact with electrical components, soldering, using components like servos and sensors, and programming using the C++ language. This camps is steeped in incredibly relevant skills that translate into many different STEM fields - and helps build confidence in interacting with these concepts.


Campers will choose 2 activities for the week - with one being the morning session (9:00am - 12:00pm) and the other being the afternoon session (1:00pm-4:00pm). All sessions will run as morning & afternoon options, and students are highly encouraged to select 2 different sessions (the afternoon will be a separate cohort/schedule from the morning, and will repeat content).

Campers will get to experience University life on our Gorham, Maine campus - lodging in our dorms, dining at the Brooks Dining Center, and multiple engaging evening activities on & off campus. Students will get the chance to explore beautiful southern Maine while forming meaningful connections with peers, counselors, and mentors.

Drop-off will be the Sunday before camp start (July 20th), and pickup will be the Saturday after camp end (July 26th). Transportation from ground/air travel - Portland Transportation Center (Amtrak/Concord Coach) or Portland Jetport only- will be provided at an additional cost (+$150). Students who attend both weeks may stay on campus between sessions, also at an additional cost (+$250)

Instructional activities will run from 9:00am to 4:00pm, with the afternoon/evening being used for enrichment activities.

This session runs from July 21st-July 25th, + pick-up & drop-off days.
Location:
University of Southern Maine - Gorham
Dates:
Residential Week 5 - 7/20 - 7/26
Ages:
Ages 10 - 14
Cost:
$1,500.00
Availability:
This session has openings
Registration will end on 7/18/2025.
Activities
3D Printing & Design
Explore the entire fabrication process using 3D printing technology in our 3D Printing & Design camp. Campers start the camp by assembling their own 3D printer while learning about the components and functions of the machine. Campers also explore the world of 3D design by using 3D modeling programs such as SketchUp, TinkerCAD, or others (depending on instructor), as well as learning how to optimize these designs for printing. This session will also focus on calibrating the machines; starting and finishing the print; fixing errors; and all the details that make 3D printing both challenging and rewarding. At the end of the week, campers take home their new printer, all the cool things they’ve created, and 3D filament to kickstart their printing journey at home. For 2025 we're looking at using the Ender 3 V3 KE, but it's early enough where we're still looking at a few other options.		$50.00
Introduction to Arduino
An interaction of our microcontroller camps, this session focuses on constructing projects based on the Arduino microcontroller. Participants will interact with electrical components, soldering, using components like servos and sensors, and programming using the C++ language. This camps is steeped in incredibly relevant skills that translate into many different STEM fields - and helps build confidence in interacting with these concepts.		$100.00
LEGO Robotics
This camp is for beginner & intermediate LEGO Roboteers! Explore robotics concepts using the LEGO Robotics platform. Campers use "Scratch"-style block coding to guide their LEGO robots through various missions, while learning how to use sensors to help their robots navigate challenges and obstacles. Through building and modifying their robots to complete missions, campers learn problem-solving skills that helps them become independent STEAM-thinkers!
Programming in Minecraft
With over 173,000,000 active users, and over 5,000 servers running at any one time in the world, Minecraft has become and stayed as one of the world’s top games, and certainly the top creative game. It is also one of the most popular game-based learning environments, finding its way in hundreds of classrooms to teach concepts such as math, history, language arts, and digital citizenship. There are over 3,000,000 people playing Minecraft at any moment! You probably know lots of people who spend time creating houses, roads, towns, mines, as well as gather experience points by battling monsters (mobs). What if you could start learning how to change what you are doing, not just playing with what the game comes with? Programming in Minecraft introduces coding concepts through in-game block-based coding, in which campers use a version of the Lua language to interact with the in-game world. Campers use the knowledge they learn throughout the camp to design and code their own “mods” – custom content and modifications in the game that work with their at-home (PC) versions of the game. Time is set aside to “just play the game”, but the camp focuses on learning new skills and becoming more familiar with programming and problem solving. You do not need to have a Minecraft account, but you should bring your login information with you if you have an account so you can play as yourself.
Pick up and Drop off fee for Residential Camp
Pick up Drop off Option
Do not include a pick up or drop off option
Families responsible for drop off and pick up.
Include Pick Up and Drop Off
Include pick up and drop off of camper. Additional information will be gathered prior to camp.		+ $150.00
Discounts
Multi-Week Discount
If a camper is enrolled in multiple weeks, or siblings are registered, each week receives a $20 discount.		$20.00