A dozen Dayton area youth recently spent the day building simple robots at a local summer camp.
Divided into three teams, their goal to build a unit that will travel about ten feet down a hallway, pick up several blocks and transport them back to the starting position.
11-year-old Prince Sharik Rincon Moss is on the red team.
"We're trying to make a design where it will be able to hold all those stacks of blocks together while still being able to be stable and so our design and battery is not slowed down," said Moss.
This activity is part of a month-long technology camp sponsored by Carex Behavioral Health Services. The Columbus-based company is now opening a Dayton location.
The robotics camp runs from June 16 to July 3.
Technology is a positive alternative to violence, said Parris Carter, managing director of Carex's Dayton operations.
"If you think about violence prevention, and you think of youth engagement, it's really about tapping into their interests," Carter said. "That's diverse, because kids are brilliant, but they need someone and many people to help pull that out."
In addition, students are learning public speaking skills, how to create a personal brand and positive conflict resolution skills.
During the final week of camp, Nathan Carter, one of the campers, will teach his peers how to build a desktop pc they can keep.
Carex plans to sponsor future camps in the Dayton area, integrating life skills with hands-on activities.
