The camp combined academic enrichment with play and exploration. Gifted and academically talented students from Jefferson, Oldham and Shelby counties took part, many of them participants from previous years. This year’s theme was Inventing the Future.

Among their activities were a trip to Frazier History Museum. The students also did basic 3D digital modelling and built Rube Goldberg contraptions — overly complicated machines for doing simple tasks. At the end of the week, parents attended a showcase to see their child’s work.

“We take an interdisciplinary approach and focus on active, project-based learning,” said program director Caroline Sheffield. “The children learn a lot, but they also have a lot of fun.”

The program also attracts teachers enrolled in advanced education classes looking for field hours. Teaching at the camp gives them the opportunity to try out new classroom methods without the pressure of standardized testing, Sheffield said.