2024 Illinois Engineering Summer Camps

Danville School District No. 118 is excited to offer
residential / virtual University of Illinois Summer Camps
to our Danville High School
INCOMING SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS, AND SENIORS

ALL APPLICATIONS ARE DUE
TO JACKSON BUILDING

516 N. JACKSON ST.
By Friday, March 1, 2024!

Kelly Truex (217)444-1062, Brandie Kuchefski (217)444-1065, Cindy Redman (217)444-1024

If accepted, students will need:

❶ parent | guardian recommendation letter

❷ teacher recommendation letter

All camps are week long, residential or virtual experiences paid for by Danville District 118.

Discovering Engineering Camp                                                                                   (Residential) Sunday July 14 - Saturday July 20

10th grade

Discover Engineering (DE) is a week-long, residential camp for rising freshmen and sophomores with a strong interest in math and science. Campers work on several projects that incorporate different aspects of engineering. Campers will visit various research labs around campus, become familiar with the different forms of engineering disciplines studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering and interact directly with faculty and students actively researching in these areas. This is a great way to gain a better understanding of engineering in general, as well as an increased understanding of the wide range of careers and areas of study available for engineers.

Learn about and experience (TENTATIVE):

• Aerospace Engineering
• Agricultural Engineering
• Bioengineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil & Environmental Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Industrial and Systems Engineering
• Material Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Science and Engineering
• Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering

2024 Exploring Your Options                                                                                    (Residential) Sunday July 7 - Saturday July 13

11th-12th grade

Exploring Your Options (EYO) is a week-long, residential program that introduces rising juniors and seniors to the varied disciplines of engineering.  EYO takes place at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, providing campers with the opportunity to interact with engineering students and faculty during the lessons and hands-on activities developed by the departments in The Grainger College of Engineering.

Get a taste of each of the following engineering fields:

2024 What it takes: Exploring Engineering        (Online) Tuesday July 2-Friday July 26

10th grade

• Multi-week experience of exploring 10-12 engineering fields through presentations, speakers, demonstrations, and hands-on labs and projects.
• Virtual field trips to working research labs on campus and related industries.
• Unique breakout sessions around special interests such as women and minorities in engineering, college essay writing, and more.
• Hands-on labs and projects using materials from the Lab Kit that will be mailed to your home.
• Meet new people and engage socially as well as academically during small group sessions via web conference, facilitated by a University of Illinois student who will be your guide for the camp.

Illinois Aerospace Institute Session 1                                                                       (Residential) Sunday  June 9 - Friday  June 14                                           (Residential) Sunday July 14 - Saturday July 20

10th-12th grade

Instructors will present discussions about various aerospace engineering topics.  Topics covered include:

Model workshops are a hands-on learning experience for students. Students will apply their knowledge from the instructors’ presentations, their own experience with craft projects, and their passion for engineering building to design model gliders and model rockets. Each student is provided with materials and builds the models.  Students are monitored and assisted by staff, but there is an expectation that students will read and follow the provided model-building instructions and use trial and error to craft their projects. For the virtual/online version of the camp, the project build time is more open-ended, and we’ll have you launch your models at home by filming the flights. Assistance from friends or family in filming and launching the models is requested.

2024 People Designing for People  SCD Camp

                                                                                                                                          (Residential) Sunday June 9 - Saturday June 15

10th-12th grade

Human-Centered Design (HCD) is a problem-solving approach that uses design thinking tools to first explore and define problems, then develop and sustain innovative and meaningful solutions. “People Designing for People” is an in-person camp that will take place at the NEW Siebel Center for Design (SCD) and will immerse learners in hands-on, authentic HCD experiences in engineering. During the camp, learners will collaborate with one another to brainstorm a solution to their design task, iterate a physical prototype, and present their work to peers and instructors. Learners will have the opportunity to work with physical materials and tools in the new SCD workshop as they create and refine their prototypes. Instructors will support learners throughout the process and encourage them to seek constructive feedback from peers as they iterate their designs.

Campers will:

• Use human-centered design as an approach to creative problem solving
• Practice employing design thinking tools to identify and understand user needs
• Work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams
• Create physical prototypes and provide constructive feedback.

2024 Exploring Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering                      (Residential) Sunday June 23- Saturday  June 29

11th-12th grade

Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering (NPRE) is a branch of engineering with broad and diverse but complimentary applications–among them: continued safe and reliable nuclear energy production, risk and reliability assessment, plasma science and engineering, development of fusion reactors, use of radiation for biomedical research and healthcare, and nuclear safeguards and radiation detection for homeland security.

NPRE is for those who:

• Are passionate about impacting climate change and exploring clean, renewable energy sources
• Want to innovate the plasma technologies of the future
• Are interested in harnessing the power of nuclear fusion
• Want to apply radiological science to advancing medicine, human health, and national security
• Enjoy experimental hands-on and/or computational research using math, physics, and computer skills

Campers will explore NPRE through lectures and discussions, hands-on activities, computer programming and simulations, demonstrations, lab tours, and field trips.

2024 LEAP Learning Electronics, AI, and Programming [*IDEA]                       (Residential)Sunday June 23-Saturday June 29

10th-12th grade

*IDEA camps are mission-driven camp sessions led by departments aiming to Increase Diversity, Equity, & Access in STEM majors and careers. These camps focus on support and empowerment of traditionally excluded populations in STEM including (but not limited to) the areas of gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and ability. The absence of their talents is a detriment to the STEM fields. IDEA camps provide a safe environment to build a community of peers and mentors who empower one another to be confident in their exploration of STEM. All are welcome to apply.

The climate is a critical aspect of our everyday lives. The outdoor temperature and rainfall affect everything from clothing choices to crop yields. Understanding the current weather, forecasting future events, and studying the climate begin with gathering atmospheric data. Collecting and processing this data requires cross-disciplinary efforts from scientists and engineers.

Atmospheric data can be collected using small embedded systems deployed in the field. These embedded payloads contain small computers (microcontrollers) and numerous sensors. The sensors gather data, and microcontrollers handle simple processing. However, these weak microcontrollers are insufficient for problems that require complicated computations. Consequently, embedded systems typically transmit their data to a more powerful computer that can perform more complex analyses. These powerful computers are often hosted in the cloud.

This summer camp will teach you about electrical engineering and computer science. You will learn how individual components of an embedded system work and how to combine them to create a portable weather station. You will learn how your embedded system can communicate with powerful cloud computers and analyze your data with artificial intelligence algorithms. By the end of the camp, you will have a personal weather station you can deploy outside your home!

2024  RoboScape Cybersecurity [*IDEA]                                                                   (Residential) Sunday July 14-Saturday July 20

11th-12th grade

*IDEA camps are mission-driven camp sessions led by departments aiming to Increase Diversity, Equity, & Access in STEM majors and careers. These camps focus on support and empowerment of traditionally excluded populations in STEM including (but not limited to) the areas of gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and ability. The absence of their talents is a detriment to the STEM fields. IDEA camps provide a safe environment to build a community of peers and mentors who empower one another to be confident in their exploration of STEM. All are welcome to apply.

• Use networked robots and visual programming to learn about cybersecurity.
• Learn programming concepts, such as control structures, variables, data types & functions, and write programs to control a robot.
• Defend against cyberattacks from other robots on our network.
• Learn about authentication and encryption as you make your robot less vulnerable.
• Participate in robotics challenges.

2024  Saving FACE (Food, Agriculture, Construction, & Environment) Around the World]                                                                          

                                                                                                                                           (Residential) Sunday July 21-Saturday July 27

10th-12th grade

Agricultural & Biological Engineering focuses on the design of complex living systems. ABEs feed and power the world by combining engineering, technology, and scientific skills to improve agricultural, food, energy, water, and environmental systems. Work ranges from the molecular to the ecosystem level with a sustainability mindset.

Campers will:

• Explore the nexus of food, energy, and water systems through hands-on labs and demonstrations
• Participate in individual and team activities, as well as competitions, to investigate the discipline of agricultural and biological engineering
• Use the knowledge gained from field trips, labs, and lectures to complete a team project focused on sustainability

Experience stimulating adventures:

• At the Food Science Pilot Processing Plant, learning how raw materials are processed into food
• Bond with other campers and Agricultural & Biological Engineering (ABE) faculty, staff, and students through exciting activities
• Explore the concepts behind hydroponics and aquaponics
• Learn about hydraulics and apply what you have learned to your own hydraulic system
• Discover the many methods of creating biofuels
• Participate in exciting field trips to see your new knowledge in action

2024 Illinois Aerospace Institute                                                                                  (Online) Sunday July 21 - Saturday July 27

10th-12th grade

Instructors will present discussions online about various aerospace engineering topics.  Topics covered include:

2024 Illinois Engineering Summer Camps

Danville District 118 2024 Summer Opportunity

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Residential/Virtual Summer Camps

Parent Recommendation

Parent Name:  ___________________________________

Address:           ___________________________________

                           ___________________________________

Phone:              ___________________________________

I, ______________________________, parent of _______________________ recommend my student for the District 118, 2024 Illinois Residential/Virtual Summer Camp Program with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I recognize this is a week-long residential/virtual program. I believe ________________ is a responsible student and can be counted upon to represent District 118 in a positive manner.

Parent Signature _______________________________Date:_________

Please remove your completed application from the booklet

and return to the JACKSON BUILDING: 516 N. JACKSON ST.

by 3:00 pm on Friday, March 1, 2024.

2024 ILLINOIS ENGINEERING SUMMER PROGRAMS – APPLICATION

General Application

What program are you applying for?

Please indicate your first and second choice below with 1 being most preferred and 2 being equally or just slightly less preferred. If space is unavailable in your first choice, we will place you in your second choice. Do not choose a 2nd choice if there are no other programs that interest you.

*IDEA camps aim to increase the number of underrepresented populations pursuing STEM majors and careers.

**There are three options for the Illinois Aerospace Institute - two residential camps and one online camp.  You can only sign up for one of these options.  

Applicant’s Information

Parent|Guardian #1 Information

Parent|Guardian #2 Information

TEACHER INFORMATION (for teacher recommendation form)

The following information will be used to contact the teacher, tutor, or counselor who will be completing your Recommendation Form. We highly recommend that this person be someone who can attest to your skills in math or science. Be sure to notify this person that they should expect an email from wyse@illinois.edu (mail to: wyse@illinois.edu) for this purpose.

Provide a list of coursework in math, science, technology, and engineering.

Include grades – official transcripts are not required (example below):

Statement of purpose essay

Please explain your interest in this program, and describe how you have recently explored or developed this interest inside and/or outside the classroom. Describe the impact that this program will have on your future. Please write in the space below (or copy/paste from your word processor). Maximum 500 words.