The Robert C. Byrd Institute (RCBI) promises a summer of discovery for 9- to 15-year-old students interested in robotics.

Activities kick off June 26-30 with a camp for both those with robotics experience and first-timers. During the five-day event, campers will learn to build, program and operate LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robots and participate in the World Robot Olympiad the final day.

The camp will run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at RCBI Huntington. Cost is $125 for each camper and includes lunch and snacks.Students are encouraged to register as small teams. Sign upat www.rcbi.org/go/robotics1.

RCBI Huntington also will host a free, two-day Boot Camp August 7-8from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. focused on boosting participation in FIRST LEGO League (FLL) robotics and promoting STEM education in southern West Virginia counties. Groups interested in forming teams are encouraged to apply for the free camp by contacting Mike Friel at 304.781.1686 or mfriel@rcbi.org.

Five teams will receive a free Mindstorms EV3 robot and expansion set after completing training and agreeing to compete in future FLL events. Teams must include two adult coaches and between two and six students age 9 to 14.

Both camps will be taught by employees from NASA’s IV&V Educator Resource Center and the West Virginia Robotics Alliance. Campers will learn to program robots for specific missions and work on core values and team-working skills that align with the FIRST LEGO League robotics vision. Additionally, campers will engage with guest speakers who have knowledge of real-world robotics and see demonstrations from advanced high school level robotic competitors.

RCBI’s robotics program is made possible by the generous support of theNASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium.

For more information, contact RCBI’s Mike Friel at 304.781.1686 or mfriel@rcbi.org.