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It's a robo dog's world at Camp Invention

Children meticulously decorated the mechanical dogs they changed from Robo-Pets into personal companions Wednesday while they participated in Camp Invention at Copeland Manor Elementary School in Libertyville.

The program is a nationally recognized, nonprofit summer enrichment camp that promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) using hands-on activities.

"This year's program is called 'Fast Forward' with five different modules or classes taught by teachers," said Jenae Murphy, Camp Invention director. "The kids are really excited and enjoy coming out and being little engineers or little inventors and creating their own projects."

About 120 bright students in grades K-6 rotated between modules in Robotic Pet Vet, Optibot, Mod My Mini Mansion, Stick to It and Camp Intervention Games, and used problem-solving skills in a fun and entertaining environment.

The camp highlight was the robotic pet care class, with each student receiving their own robo-pet they used to design their own dogs, learn about the inner workings of real animals, and eventually create their own dog parks.

"We are working on a robotic dog that we can actually make it look like a dog and it moves and has all the same parts of a dog," sixth-grader Ellie Shafer said after placing fur on its metal head and learning about how blood works in animals. "We get to decorate the dog and we get to name it. It's just really fun."

  Ellie Shafer, a Copeland Manor School sixth-grader, adds fur to her Robo-Pet during the Camp Invention program on Wednesday at the Libertyville school. The program promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning using hands-on activities. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  Copeland Manor School first-grader Mason Kwong watches his Optibot follow a line he drew during Wednesday's Camp Invention program in Libertyville. The program promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning using hands-on activities. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  First-graders map out a course for their Optibots during Wednesday's Camp Invention program at Copeland Manor School in Libertyville. The program promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning using hands-on activities. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
  A Robo-Pet waits to be worked on Wednesday during Camp Invention at Copeland Manor School in Libertyville. The program promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning using hands-on activities. Gilbert R. Boucher II/gboucher@dailyherald.com
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