Robeson County 4th Graders Take Part in STEM Camp at RCC

Robeson Community College hosted a STEM camp on its campus this week for fourth graders from across Robeson County. Students had an opportunity to learn about robots, drones, flight patterns, cyber security, and wearable technology.

Brennin Locklear tests out the robot during the STEM camp at RCC.

For Brennin Locklear, from Maxton, the day was a fun experience. Brennin was the first student of the day to get to operate the robot designed by RCC Early College students during the STEM camp.

“I got to control the way the robot moved,” he said in excitement. “It was fun.”

Across campus, students such as Serenity Chavis Dial from Rowland were learning about drones and had an opportunity to look into a virtual reality headset.

“It looked a headset where you could see other stuff,” she said.

After examining several different sized drone aircraft, the students moved outside to watch the drones fly, and Serenity was a bit nervous about watching it take off.

“It’s weird,” she said. “It’s flying on its own.”

ETI did the demonstration of the drones, led by Joe Campbell and Chad Nordstrom.

“If you break something, you have to look at it as a learning experience,” Joe Campbell told the students as he was showing the various drones and parts that make up the drones during the demonstration.

In Building 14, students were attentively listening to a session by NC State University on wearable technology.

Sarina Oxendine in the STEM Camp during the Cyber Security Session

“I learned that we could use technology to help people with their health and manage their heart,” said Sarina Oxendine from Pembroke.

Bailey Locklear sits attentively listening to her instructor from Cyber.org on the lesson he is teaching.

Bailey Locklear, also from Pembroke, said she learned that you could “engineer and do things without batteries and that you can wear items to check blood pressure and your heartbeat… you can build something out of nothing.”

Students also enjoyed an interactive lesson in cyber security from Cyber.org. Students did tasks on the computer as their teacher for the camp streamed in live to direct the activities they were to do.

The STEM Camp was made possible by ETI, Indian Education, the RCC Early College, and RCC.