School of Informatics prepares for summer camp

While most high school students are content to relax over the summer, others decide to continue their learning experience through summer camps. \nThe School of Informatics is hosting a summer camp from June 10 to June 15 for high school students. \nJoe Stuteville, the Coordinator of Media Relations at the School of Informatics, explained that the camp will have an active schedule that includes hands-on learning. Stuteville added that Dennis Groth, an assistant professor at the School of Informatics, will be directing the camp. \n“He is the driving force behind the camp,” Stuteville said. \nDuring their first year, the camp enrolled 10 students, which increased to 16 students the next year. Their third year was their strongest, with an enrollment of 32 students. Groth hopes to have around 30 students this summer.\nDespite its implication of learning informatics, Groth insists that it’s still a laidback camp. \n“(Its) purpose is to show how informatics is used in all types of disciplines,” Groth said. “There is bowling and swimming, though.” \nThroughout the week, Groth brings in different faculty members and graduate students from the School of Informatics to help teach the different activities. Some of the activities included in the camp are basic computing technology, computer graphics, bioinformatics and computer system design.\n“(We) would hope (they would) go on to college and (we’d) like them to choose informatics,” Groth said. “(But we) show them that they can combine their passion with techniques from informatics.” \nGroth said that the students are mostly from the Indiana area, but in the past they’ve had students from other states such as North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Hawaii. \nDuring their stay here on campus, the students stay in a campus dorm, but the dorm for this year has yet to be decided. \nGroth said that the cost for the entire week of camp is $300. Financial aid, partial and full, is available for students who need it. Half of the students who attend the summer camp usually receive aid, Groth said. \nAlthough the deadline for applications is coming up soon, Groth said that they will continue accepting them through the end of the month. \n“(The camp is) welcome to anyone interested in information technology,” Groth said.