Robo Rally Packs a Punch at CS Summer Camp

06-18-2014

Writer(s): Jesica E. Hollinger

Middle school students participated in Super Robo Rally today (June 18), part of a week of events hosted by Purdue Computer Science K-12 Outreach.

Steve Hassenplug brought his 20,000 piece Lego robotics game to the Lawson Commons and transformed the area into an arena of competing (sometimes fighting) robots, all directed by the young students who gained “hands-on” experience in computer programming. 

Hassenplug, LEGO robot builder, brings Super Robo Rally and other computer events to students and interested audiences in the surrounding area.

Other activities for the students during the week revolve around a forensics theme, as campers become investigators, working toward solving a crime using computer science to aid in their quest. The camp helps campers enhance and develop skills in programming, algorithms, problem solving, web-design, app development and embedded systems.

Students entering grades 6, 7, or 8 by the Fall of 2014 are eligible and need no previous computer science or programming experience, just familiarity working with a computer.

Next week, Purdue Computer Science hosts high-school campers, who will explore issues involving national security. Campers will become security experts, working toward infiltrating a computer network... with a little help from computer science.

Campers will become experienced with Python, secure coding practices, system and network security, and cryptography. The week will culminate with a competitive hacking exercise designed to help students understand computer security and focus on computational thinking patterns.