Massapequa Students Keep Skills Sharp At Summer STEM Camp

MASSAPEQUA, NY — For 300 Massapequa students, Summer was not a time to rest their brains but a time to keep them sharp. These are the students of “Camp invention,” a 20-year Massapequa tradition that gives young minds the chance to learn math and science skills while school is out.

The elementary science program was held at Unqua Elementary this year, with about 200 students in the camp from Aug. 3 to Aug. 7, and another 110 in camp this week.

While at camp, the students followed a nationwide Camp Invention curriculum with lessons like “Space Morphers,” which tasked students with building their own “space rockets” and “Fur-ensics,” wherein students tried their hands at forensic science, analyzing animal tracks and other evidence to try to solve an animal-centered mystery.

Among the staff teaching these kids was Massapequa senior Nicholas Stella, an intern on the staff who helped supervise second graders.

“They’re very joyful and happy all the time,” Stella said of the students. “Seeing them being happy to learn science and engineering makes me happy because I enjoy that, too.”

Directing the staff was Nancy Porcellini and Assistant Directors Allyson Owens and Chris Weaver. Along with Stella, there was a corps of sophomores through seniors from Massapequa High School volunteering as leader interns at the camp, while seventh, eighth and ninth graders served as leaders in training.

As for the campers themselves, students said they enjoyed the opportunity to be creative. One of the things district officials said keeps students coming back to Camp Invention is the fact that, along with that creativity, the curriculum at camp changes every year.

“I like getting to create stuff and getting to be with my friends while I’m doing it,” fifth grader and fifth-year Camp Invention camper Sarah Harbeck said. “We make different stuff and I learn new things every year.”