Camp Invention
Impact
Camp Invention summer programs have encouraged more than 800,000 curious young minds to explore, create and invent. Camp Invention reaches more than 80,000 children in 1,200 schools and 49 states nationwide each summer—and exponentially more through Camp Invention teachers who report transferring Camp Invention strategies to their classrooms during the school year. By combining learning and fun, the program has earned an approval rating of more than 90% among parents, educators and children.
Accomplished
- Need Accomplished
- Evaluation Developing
- Sustainability Accomplished
- Replication & Scalability Accomplished
- Partnerships Accomplished
- Capacity Accomplished
- Challenging & Relevant Content Accomplished
- STEM Practices Accomplished
- Inspiration Accomplished
- Under-Represented Groups Accomplished
Camp Invention provides us, as inductees, the opportunity to inspire and challenge children through our experiences in youth and beyond. Developing future inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs, and instilling the core values of creative problem-solving, sets this camp apart from the rest. Children leave after a week with skills that will last a lifetime.
Inventor of the digital camera and 2011 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee
Design Principles
The programs in this database clear a high bar. STEMworks reviewed each program against the Design Principles for Effective STEM Philanthropy. Programs must be Accomplished (
) across all Design Principles, or be Developing (
) in a maximum of three areas.
Overarching Principles
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Need Accomplished
Identify and target a compelling and well-defined need.
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Evaluation Developing
Use rigorous evaluation to continuously measure and inform progress towards the compelling need identified.
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Sustainability Accomplished
Ensure work is sustainable.
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Replication & Scalability Accomplished
Demonstrate replicability and scalability.
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Partnerships Accomplished
Create high impact partnerships.
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Capacity Accomplished
Ensure organizational capacity to achieve goals.
STEM Principles
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Challenging & Relevant Content Accomplished
Offer challenging and relevant STEM content for the target audience.
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STEM Practices Accomplished
Incorporate and encourage STEM practices.
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Inspiration Accomplished
Inspire interest and engagement in STEM.
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Under-Represented Groups Accomplished
Identify and address the needs of under-represented groups.
Program Overview
Camp Invention is a nationally recognized summer program focused on creativity, innovation, real-world problem solving and the spirit of invention. The program’s top priority is to present essential STEM concepts and entrepreneurial content through creative, hands-on activities. The world’s smartest inventors—inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame—inspire and inform the program. Begun in 1990 by Invent Now as an outreach program, Camp Invention’s summer enrichment day experience is designed for children entering grades 1–6. The STEM-focused program encourages creativity and curiosity for youth during summer vacation and aims to prevent “summer slide,” a term used to describe the loss of students’ academic skills and knowledge during the summer. Camp Invention curricula also are used in after-school programs. Free to schools and organizations that host the program nationwide, Camp Invention features collaborative learning opportunities led by local teachers in a safe environment. Local teachers receive professional development training and are certified to deliver the program. Year after year, the program offers innovative curricula that align with the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards and meet rigorous internal testing requirements. The program presents real-world challenges and promotes the direct application of 21st century critical thinking and communication skills. Camp Invention inspires children to be curious about their world and prepares them for the future. Through national donors, Invent Now provides Camp Invention scholarships to over 10,000 underserved children from diverse populations annually. In addition, dozens of school districts have used state and federal funds to provide the Camp Invention experience to their staff and students. Camp Invention is the only nationally recognized, nonprofit elementary enrichment program that partners with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Collegiate Inventors Competition.
Funders and Partners
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, The Al and Helen Free Foundation, The Amos E. Joel Young Inventors Endowment, The Burton D. Morgan Foundation, GAR Foundation, Invent Now® Endowment Children’s Education Fund, The Jochum-Moll Foundation, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Nordson, Northrup Grumman Foundation, II-VI Foundation