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PACER's "EX.I.T.E." Challenge

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"Attending this camp has assisted my daughter in many ways – it’s great that she feels a sense of belonging to a group of unique girls! She feels she belongs and that she can make friends."
- Parent

"I didn’t know that other people had ADHD and I didn’t think that I was smart. At camp, I met other people who had ADHD and made new friends that don’t think I’m weird."
- 2006 Camper

"The most surprising thing I learned at camp was that I can have a career in science and math."
- 2006 Camper

EX.I.T.E. Camp 2007 Photo Gallery

EXploring Interests in Technology and Engineering

During the camp, 30 middle school girls with disabilities enjoyed hands-on activities, including: making lip gloss, exploring acids and bases, tearing-down a PC, making ice cream with liquid nitrogen, working with digital photography, and programming Lego robots.

For more information please contact the PACER Simon Technology Center at stc@pacer.org or 952-838-9000.

Note: All pictures below can be clicked to view a larger image.

Opening Ceremony - July 26, 2007

Exite 2007 Camper Group

An opening ceremony celebration was held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. for all campers, interns, and their families. A welcome presented by Rianne Leaf, PACER Center’s Director of Programs, and Diane Ingersol, an IBM Professiona, kicked off the ceremony. Following, Diane Ingersol of IBM presented an overview of the camp to the campers and parents.

Welcome IBM

Camp Day 1 - July 30, 2007

Camper smiling while using goggles that warp your vision with another camper in line to try them next Four campers taking apart a computer tower
Camper working with IBM volunteer to cut out fabric to design her shoe Camper's leg displaying the shoe she made

What determines how fast a rocket will fly? What variables can you alter to increase a rockets speed? The girls had fun the first day of camp with volunteers from IBM finding the answers to these questions and many more. Through hands-on activities including making Cinderella shoes and learning about foot anatomy and shoe engineering to tearing down a laptop and PC, the girls actively participated in experiments and found answers to their questions. The Science Museum of Minnesota also attended and lead an interesting session to explain the human brain. By the end of the first day, we had a group of middle school girls excited about science!

Welcome 3M

Camp Day 2 - August 1, 2007

Campers participating in a Como Zoo presentation Campers working with acids and bases
Campers watching 3M professionals make instant ice cream with liquid nitrogen Campers palying with different musical instruments while learning how their sound is created

The Visiting Wizards from 3M joined the campers for camp day 2 . The wizards assisted the girls in; turning copper pennies to gold, learning about the science of sound and music, creating art by experimenting with acids and bases, becoming a crime scene investigator, and learning about freezing points by exploring with liquid nitrogen. The campers were excited and listened intently as the Como Zoo visited and taught them everything there is to know about bugs! The campers closed camp day 2 by using liquid nitrogen to make instant ice cream, a cold treat on a hot day.

Welcome Accenture

Camp Day 3 - August 3, 2007

Campers laying on the floor in a circle with their heads in the middle, looking up at the camera and smiling Campers forming a little totem pole, posing the camera Camper with her hand on static, her hair standing up straight in the air

Today campers eagerly welcomed Accenture who provided the girls with a digital camera experience. A professional photographer paid the campers a visit to discuss the basics of digital photography and share examples of professional photography. The girls then worked in small groups and snapped photos of their new found EX.I.T.E. friends using a variety of photography techniques. Campers headed to an image lab to crop, resize, copy, and enhance their photos. Later in the afternoon the light bulbs were shining bright and campers were ecstatic as the Bakken Musuem joined camp for a static electricity demonstration. The demonstration literally left the campers’ hair standing on end!

Welcome Medtronic

Camp Day 4 - August 7, 2007

Campers receiving help from a volunteer to make lip gloss Campers participating in an activity in the computer lab Campers building bridges with marshmallows and straws

Medtronic took the stage on camp day 4 and taught the campers how to make their own lip gloss, how to make bridges out of marshmallows and straws, and how to be a microprocessor. The campers were smiling and laughter filled the room as the girls sported their new lip gloss and found fun in science. Jen Mundl from Courage Center led a hands-on career assessment and interest session in the computer lab. The campers’ found out what careers and classes matched their interests and what online tools to use as future resources.

Tour of IBM and Closing Ceremony

Camp Day 5 - August 9, 2007

The final day of camp brought campers, interns, staff, and volunteers, to IBM’s manufacturing plant in Rochester, Minnesota. It was here that the girls took a tour of the facility and saw computers being constructed. During lunchtime the campers had the opportunity to meet, greet, and eat with IBM executives to discuss what roles they play in science, technology, and engineering fields at IBM. After lunch, the girls programmed software to interact with Lego robots. After a dance off competition between robots and an exciting day, they arrived back to PACER Center in time for closing ceremonies. Closing ceremonies was a time for campers to reflect on the weeks activities and share camp stories and pictures with their families and friends.

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