Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1475910
With the fi rst day of the school year 2022-23 set to begin for students on Monday August, students all across Rutherford County have been active throughout the summer in a number of various camps. There have been sports camps, Girl Scout and Boy Scout camps, music and art camps and church camps. Among the Rutherford County Schools' summer learning initiatives, was the Camp Innovate Summer Enrichment Program for gifted learners. The theme was Steampark Adventures and students were able to design and build thrill ride prototypes and theme parks. Photos of the weekend long camp captured the laughter, the thrill and the excitement on the faces of the students as they worked to design the thrill rides. Camp Innovate was available to all identifi ed Academically and/ or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) students in Rutherford County Schools who are currently in grades 3-5. Camp Innovate was held at Ellenboro Elementary School the last week of July with a goal to provide free learning experiences that challenged and developed students' creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills through engaging and exciting activities. "Camp Innovate is one of my favorite weeks of the year, said Ritchie Garland, director of community relations and AIG Coordinator. "The energy and innovation that we see each day is so inspiring," Garland continued. "We are so grateful to Meta (Facebook) for awarding us the Community Action Grant to provide this opportunity for our gifted learners." During the week three representatives from Meta were on campus to take part in the camp and to observe the students designing thrill rides. There were 178 elementary students participating and 16 high school students that served as student leaders. Meredith Mason Street is one of three AIG advisors in the Rutherford County Schools. "Camp Innovate continues to be my favorite part of my job," she said. "It is what every educator dreams about - to see students get excited about learning in a more relaxed setting, connect with old and new friends, and be mentored by our camp student leaders who are high school AIG students." She said students learned about the design principles that professionals use to create thrill rides and theme parks. "Students were involved in designing and building thrill ride prototypes through collaboration, coding, marketing skills, and more," she said. "I was especially thrilled to be able to connect our middle school students with a fellow Park Scholar who is a mechanical engineer that develops attractions for Universal through Zoom," she added. ISSUE NO. 32 • August 11, 2022 ISSUE NO. 32 • August 11, 2022 • • RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408 RutherfordWeekly.com • 828-248-1408 Our 30 th Year • Over 25,000 Weekly Readers BRING YOUR VEHICLE BY FOR US TO LOOK AT! NO APPRAISAL FEE CHARGED! TOP DOLLAR PAID! PAID! YOUR VEHICLE VEHICLE We Want to Buy We Want to Buy www.mooresautos.com 345 South Broadway, Forest City 828-245-8067 M O O RE ' S AUTO S ALES ©communityfi rstmedia 135 West Main Street, Spindale, NC 28160 828-395-2140 Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 11am-9pm Sunday: 11am-3pm DINE IN CARRY OUT CATERING www.circlebBBQ.com www.circlebBBQ.com MENTION AD MENTION AD RECEIVE RECEIVE 10 10 % OFF OFF ©Community First Media Community First Media SUNDAY DINNER SUNDAY DINNER SPECIAL SPECIAL Meat, 2 Vegetables The many faces of Camp Innovate The many faces of Camp Innovate Article by Jean Gordon; Photos by Rachael Bradley, Rutherford County Schools IN GOD WE TRUST! IN GOD WE TRUST! Building and designing theme park thrill rides ABOUT AIG: Rutherford County Schools defi nes Academically or Intellectually Gifted students as individuals who perform or show potential to perform at substantially high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. Academically or intellectually gifted students exhibit high performance capability in intellectual areas, specifi c academic fi elds, or in both the intellectual areas and specifi c academic fi elds. Academically and/or Intellectually gifted students require differentiated educational services beyond those ordinarily provided by the regular educational program. Outstanding abilities are present in students from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, an an an and in in in in all ll ll ll are re re reas as as as of hu hu hu huma ma ma man en en en ende de de deav av av avor or or or. Ritchie Garland - AIG director Meta's Tara Tennorio