Above: The NERA Summer Robotics camp was run out of Algonquin. Families interested in learning about next summer’s opportunity can sign up for the association’s email list. (photos contributed, logo from NERA website)
This summer over 30 area children entering grades 2–9 took part in a Summer Robotics Camp. The camp was held at Algonquin Regional High School for the third straight year. The unusual twist, is that the organization running the camp was organized by three young Southborough brothers.
In 2023, the Wu brothers founded the New England Robotics Association. At the time the boys were ages 12 (Austin), 14 (Anthony), and 16 (Aaron). They launched their first camp that summer.
Of course, the three young teens can’t run a camp for 30 kids by themselves. The program is assisted by “incredibly helpful volunteers, who have strong robotics backgrounds”, mainly from Southborough and Northborough. They have especially appreciated support they received from Algonquin Regional High School and its Robotics team (Team 1100). (Volunteers this year and in prior summers have also hailed from locations that include Westborough, Sudbury, North Andover, Newton, Lexington, and even New Hampshire.)
Austin tells me that the brothers have been excited to see the camp grow each summer. In 2024, he described the 10 day camp they ran as:
a hub of excitement and creativity, bringing together enthusiastic young minds eager to dive into the world of robotics. Campers engaged in thrilling coding challenges and hands-on building. We invited different guest speakers from software/robotics companies, as well as toured the robotics lab in the Algonquin Regional HS. By the end of the two weeks, our teams had four well-built robots and programs, that were showcased in various matches in front of their parents and classmates. Everyone displayed incredible hard work, creativity, and teamwork.
At the end of that and the prior summer, the organizers had enough extra funds to make a donation to the high school.
This summer, the program was extended an extra week:
Over the course of three weeks, campers learned to design, build, and code their robots using the VEX Robotics system.
The program emphasized teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity. Campers spent their mornings building and coding, while afternoons often included outdoor activities and guest speakers from the STEM field. Each week concluded with a showcase and competition where parents could see the robots in action.
Highlights included:
- Completing both autonomous and driver-controlled challenges.
- Field trips to the MIT Museum, Science Museum, WPI Robotics Engineering, and MIT Robotics Labs for real-world STEM exposure.
- An awards ceremony celebrating innovation, teamwork, and perseverance.
The organizers plan to return again next summer “with new challenges and expanded opportunities for local students to explore robotics”.
If you’d like to learn more when that opportunity is available, click here to join their email list.
Below are some of the photo highlights they shared from this summer:
Updated (9/11/24 8:33 am): I originally stated the ages the boys were when they began preparing to found the organization in 2022, and more accurately labeled WPI’s robotics lab as Robotics Engineering.
