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Our Mission

YPW strives to help young people discover intelligent fun through educational hands-on workshops exploring different branches of art, science and technology.

YPW Robotics Learning

Robotics with YPW provides young people the following opportunities:

Learn Technology and Engineering skills
Gain Experience working effectively in project teams
Express their creativity and have fun
Be inspired to explore future technology careers

YPW develops and delivers hands-on technology education workshops and programs for young people. Our education programs are project and team-based, providing training and experience in teamwork and project management skills as well as training in mechanical engineering and design, software design and development, problem solving and debugging, and presentation skills.

Participants attending our programs work in teams of two or more. An instructor introduces the teams to equipment, materials and concepts through interactive demonstrations, hands-on tutorials, team activities, and challenges. The teams complete activities and problem-solving challenges using LEGO™ MINDSTORMS™ robot construction kits, computers and software.

For ages 6+.

PROGRAMS
COMPUTER GAME DESIGN 101 & 102: Ages 8 to 13 Young People will use Multimedia Fusion 2 to develop their special creations. In this camp young people will learn the development process of making a video game and also will learn good programming practices. We'll walk them through the requirement, design, development, testing and productions phases of the development cycle. They'll work in teams of 2 or 3 to create their original video game. Campers will have a chance to create 2d games from a variety of genres (including action, adventure, platform, side-scrollers, pinball, strategy, and racing) or invent new ones. Design your own characters, backgrounds and sounds, or use content from existing libraries. We'll cover concepts like game planning, path-based movement, collision detection, level design, dialogue, inventory and playability. Campers will help each other play-test their games. At the end of the week you'll be able to show off your games to friends, family and other campers. You'll also receive a CD of your work so you can continue to play and develop your games at home. The camps are ideal for both experienced and first time campers. Click at the images to play the games Ladder Mazes - Climb up ladders, slide down slides and break through obstacles to get from start to finish, in this multi-level game. Sokoban Pirate - Help the pirate collect the treasure scattered over the desert island!
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE USING PYTHON: Ages 13 to 17 Young People learn how to think like a Computer Scientist by getting exposed to computer algorithms for different problem solving such as searching, sorting, recursion, etc. This workshop will introduce computer science concepts in a casual and fun learning environment. Programming concepts such as Slicing Strings, Decisions/Decisions/Decisions, Otherwise, Repetition is a Powerful Idea, Booleans, Loop Invariant and much more. No programming knowledge is required for this workshop as this is a beginner level. *About Python* The Python programming language is the best choice for any entry-level computer science class. It teaches proper programming principles while being incredibly easy to learn. It is also designed to be object oriented from its inception. Since Python is interpreted, beginners can pick up the language and start doing neat things almost immediately without getting lost in the problems of compilation and linking. Since Python fully supports procedures and classes, students can be gradually introduced to topics such as procedural abstraction, data structures, and object-oriented programming all of which are applicable to later courses on Java or C++. *About the Instructor:* Ramon Aguirre holds a Master and a Bachelor's of Science degrees in Computer Science from the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ and has been a computer consultant for more than 15 years. He brings a broad industry experience with consulting assignments for customer such as Merrill Lynch, Citibank, Morgan Stanley, AT&T Bell Labs, Johnson & Johnson, Lucent, Prudential, US West, among others.
MATH MACHINES & MINDSTORMS ROBOTICS : Ages 7 to 13 This workshop is an introduction to building and programming robots using the LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System. Students will learn mechanical design, construction, programming and teamwork skills. In small teams, using LEGO blocks, motors and sensors, students build robots that can walk, draw, move objects, or find their own way and avoid obstacles. Students use a computer to program their robots to move, react, and make sounds in order to solve challenges. Also, young people will built simple math machines that ilustrate math concepts line number facts, measurements, and data handling.
MATH MACHINES: Ages 8+ Young People will build different machine models using LEGO TECHNIC elements. This workshop wil enable your young people to explore scientific inquiry, physical science, technology, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and creativity in a fun and engaging way. Young People discover problems and invent their solutions, behaving as scientists do – making their own discoveries along the way. Students will study forces and motion, simple machines, measurement, energy, magnetism, and more.
NXT ROBOTICS: Ages 9+ Come with us and create robotic inventions using the latest and the greatest: LEGO NXT. Learn the inner workings of LEGO NXT. Workshop includes use and instruction with touch, sound, light, and ultrasonic sensors. Each sensor will be useful to have your robot accomplish missions. You will also write programs using icons (no code) for your bots, setting values such as motor power levels, rotation angles, time duration, and light and color levels.
ROBOCAMP: This is a five-day fun and creative learning experience for kids to attend during spring break or/and summer. Elementary and middle school kids form project teams to solve challenges by building and programming robots using the LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System. In addition to having fun, participants learn about mechanical and software design, computer simulation, project management and teamwork skills. Parents are invited to an end-of-the-session "graduation" at YPW
AQUABOTS: We take our campers beneath the Bermuda Triangle on the undersea adventures of their lives! Young people will spend a week building and programming robots. They'll build robots to explore the ocean floor, save a giant squid, connect an air pipeline, and more. Parents are invited to an end-of-the-session "graduation" at YPW *Taking "Robocamp" - previous session - is not required but it's suggested.*
TERRAFORMERS: The Deep Space Terraformers Camp leads young campers to the edge of the universe in a robotic adventure that glimpses a future when humankind will transform distant planets into livable habitats. In this NXT-based Camp adventure, campers are first tasked to learn basics in the training areas on the Space Shuttle Entropy. Next, campers visit a series of moons, where they hone their terraforming skills. The adventure culminates on the planet Pantheon. Robo campers help transform Pantheon into an environment where humanoids can live and thrive. Using LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT 2.0 software and the NXT Base Set (9797), guided navigation leads campers forward along this imaginative mission into space. *Taking "Robots with LEGO NXT" - previous session - is not required but it's suggested.*
STOP MOTION & CLAY ANIMATION: Ages 8+ This camp/workshop will provide the opportunity for Young People to explore animation, sculpting, visual literacy, and multimedia concepts while working in small, collaborative teams of kids their own age led by an instructor who will guide their exploration and discovery. Each team will brainstorm an idea, create a storyboard and script, sculpt clay puppets, build scenery, and design special effects while shooting and editing a stop-motion animation movie. The camp/workshop will end with an Animation Theater where students will share what they’ve learned and their final Clay Animated Movies will be debuted! Creating a clay animation movie allows students to use their artistic and creative talents while using clay and technology to communicate and tell a story. *Clay animation* appeals to multiple intelligences and a broad variety of learners. *Language skills* are engaged while brainstorming and writing the script and storyboard. *Mathematical, logical, and spatial skills* are used in organizing the project, sequencing the frames, and using digital photography and video editing technology. Creativity is encouraged when students sculpt clay characters, draw and paint sets, and animate their stories. *Collaboration skills* are practiced when students work together to produce a clay animation project.
CARTOON CREATION WITH MACROMEDIA FLASH: Ages 8 + Working with Macromedia Flash, we will be designing and drawing our very own cartoons on the computer. This camp/workshop gives young people the ability to use computers to create their very own Cartoon! Young People will: - Learn how to use Macromedia Flash - Work in teams to create a story for their cartoons - Draw their own characters - Animate their own cartoon frame by frame - And even add voices to their characters
LEGO MOVIE MAKING STUDIO: Ages 8+ With a partner, build your own mini movie set and create your own animated movie using provided LEGO mini figures or other objects you bring or make! Using LEGO Cam and LEGO Studios software, you use a computer and video camera to make your animated movie using stop-motion and live video techniques. You then edit your movie and add exciting sound effects, music, narration and titles with the LEGO Studios software. Your finished movies are mailed to you on a computer DVD.