COLUMBUS, Ind. — For 15 years, Purdue Polytechnic Columbus Director Joe Fuehne has held robotics camps in several different communities, including Shelbyville, Greensburg, Scottsburg, Seymour, North Vernon, Rising Sun and Columbus.
However, across all of those years and in all of those places, there’s been something missing — or, to be more specific, someone.
“Since 2006, up until this week, I had not had a single African-American child in my camp,” Fuehne said.
Nineteen students participated in a Robotics STEM Camp for ages 9 to 14 held in a C4 classroom at Columbus East High School recently, said Lori Thompson, a member of Paths to Success. The community action group, which works to “inspire, support and motivate Black and biracial students to achieve academic excellence,” took care of the camp’s organization and logistics, she said.
Purdue Polytechnic put on the day camp in collaboration with the Indiana Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center, with Fuehne providing instruction.
Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. allowed organizers to hold the camp at Columbus East High School, which Thompson said the school district called a “win-win,” as it would give organizers a location for the camp and introduced students to C4 facilities. BCSC also provided meals for students.
If the camp is planned again for 2022, Fuehne said he hopes to host it at Purdue Polytechnic, to introduce participants to the campus and “what’s possible if they stick with it.”
During the camp, participants worked on robotics, math, learned about sensors and practiced for a robotics competition.
For the complete story and more photos, see Thursday’s Republic.
