"Oh, I love that noise," exclaimed Fort Calhoun Elementary's high ability learners (HAL) teacher, PJ Mallette, above the whirrs and clicks of carefully assembled robots. "That means we're ready to program!"

The sound in question was a series of electronic beeps administered by the various iPads and laptops in the Summer Jam Camp classroom at the elementary school. As HAL teacher, Mallette taught a hugely successful robotics unit during the 2016-17 school year. As a result, he brought a modified version of the unit back for the school's summer program.

"This is the first time I've taught kindergarteners robotics," Mallette said. "I'm surprised how fast they're picking it up. If you had put this stuff in front of me when I was in kindergarten, I would've been lost."

For 45 minutes a day, Fort Calhoun Elementary's cafeteria is filled with chatter, laughter a

According to after-school program director Christina Bowser, the camp is one of the most popular of the summer season because it allows the kids to be as creative as they want, and it provides them with challenges that flex their problem-solving muscles.

"The younger kids have really kept up with the older kids," Bowser said. "The building part they have no problem with. They've worked with Legos and blocks before, so it's really similar to what they're building with now. None of them are giving up. They just keep trying."

Aside from building and programming their robots, kids are working on constructing robots made from red- or blue-painted tin cans green was also an option, but evidently an unappealing one which were donated by the community. With the aid of adults, kids are connecting the cans with wire and gluing on button faces.

On Friday, the students filed down to Pioneer Park, where Mallette set up a course and various challenges and events for the kids' robots to complete.

"This camp comes with many challenges that the kids face head on," Bowser explained. "They're learning to not become discouraged when they can't quite get the challenge correct. They're also working on problem-solving skills, and working with their partners."

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Robotics summer day camp comes to Fort Calhoun - Blair Enterprise Publishing