Students Hone Building Skills Through DIY Camps

Participants built bikes and learned woodworking.

Photo provided.

(Ripley County, Ind.) - Genesis: Pathways to Success hosted the second sessions of two popular summer camps in the final week of A Summer of STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). DIY (Do It Yourself) Woodworking Camp and Kids Building Bikes Camp marked the 18th and 19th camps held in Ripley County for students from Southeastern Indiana entering 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.

Genesis welcomed back Nine13sports and their Mobile Bike Lab for the July session of Kids Building Bikes at Liberty Park in Batesville. This session offered six students the opportunity to learn about the history, safety, and maintenance of bicycles, all while learning important employability skills like problem solving, adaptability, and perseverance. To round out the camp, students used their newly learned skills to assemble their own bike that they then took for a ride around Batesville, including a stop for a sweet treat at Amack’s Well Coffeehouse.

Will Hountz, an incoming 7th grade homeschool student, said, “I really liked building my bike and learning all the different parts because it taught me some cool things about bike maintenance.” Will Hountz, and his younger brother Keegan Hountz, are combining this learning experience with their 4H group by completing a bike project. Students participating in Kids Building Bikes Camp got to take the bikes they built home with them–a physical reminder of the skills learned and time spent at camp.

In a follow-up session of the popular DIY Woodworking Camp, Iron Timbers worked with 10 students to expand their knowledge of working with wood and their hands at their home shop in Osgood. Students made a charcuterie board and learned the techniques required to complete their chosen project. Some of these techniques included measuring, cutting, gluing, sanding, and finishing. Working closely with the members of Iron Timbers, these students also gained confidence in their ability to complete a project from start to finish.

Anessa Uhlarik, an incoming 8th grader from St. Nicholas School, stated “These pieces are really cool. It takes a lot to make a charcuterie board and a sign, but it was worth the time and effort we put in to make pieces like these.” Students took home their charcuterie board, as well as a second project of a custom sign, that expanded career pathways for students in woodworking and metalworking.

Working with community partners, like Iron Timbers and Nine13sports, play an imperative role in A Summer of STREAM. Gary Payne, co-owner of Iron Timbers, said “As a former educator with 30 years of experience, it is a privilege to be working with Genesis and allowing kids to experience different trades.” Payne further states, “Experiences like these can open doors for students after they finish school and give them more of a vision of what they can do in the future.”

Aryn Coomes, Chief Operating Officer of Nine13sports, said “Our partnership with Genesis helps us access students who are engaged and interested in learning more about the material.” She also added that, “Working with a reliable partner like Genesis really helps maintain these types of programs from beginning to end. Together we are able to advocate for the retention of education with these students.” Without these partners, camps like Kids Building Bikes and DIY Woodworking would not be possible.

Genesis: Pathways to Success would like to thank Nine13sports for partnering and the Batesville Parks and Recreation Department for allowing the use of Liberty Park for Kids Building Bikes Camp. Genesis would also like to thank Iron Timbers for being a fantastic partner and working to add the second session to A Summer of STREAM camp offerings. Genesis looks forward to partnering with all of these entities again for next summer.

To learn more information about these summer activities, please visit www.genesisp2s.org. If you have questions regarding A Summer of STREAM, please contact the Director of Genesis: Pathways to Success, Clarice Patterson, by emailing at cpatterson@genesisp2s.org, calling 812-933-1098, or visiting 13 E. George Street, Suite B, Batesville, IN, 47006.