There weren’t any complaints of summer boredom when Camp Invention came to Daffodil Valley Elementary in Sumner July 27 through July 31.

Thanks to the work of Program Director Nancy Lenihan, a Daffodil Valley teacher, and her fellow camp staffers, 65 students gathered from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to introduce youths to the exciting world of hands-on science.

The camp was created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation. In an informational bulletin, it warned youths and their families from the start the “program is noisy, messy and fun.”

Lenihan, who said this was her fourth year with the program, said she did it “for the kids, because it’s something hands-on and creative.”

Some of that creativity played out into real-life brain teaser challenges, such as the Rube Goldberg challenge to build complicated machines, Comic Book Science and discovering boat-building techniques, much like Norway’s Vikings may have used.

Matt Smeller was on hand to work with the campers. In his third year with the program, the Daffodil Valley music teacher praised Lenihan for her enthusiasm in getting kids excited about science. He said he enjoyed watching the students tackle each day’s problem-solving.

“I never met a kid I didn’t like,” Smeller said.

During the Rube Goldberg experiment, teams designed machines using a variety of recycled household containers.

“We’re trying to launch an egg,” Jay Hefford, 10, explained.

He and his teammates used materials like masking tape, a golf ball, a plastic egg, empty plastic containers, sticks, string and paper cups to help turn their ideas into reality.

“The theory is to drop golf balls to test the catapult,” Hefford explained. “This is my first year – it’s fun.”

Teammate Nicolas Baker, 10, shared his excitement but never took his eyes off their machine while making adjustments.

“I like meeting new people and inventing stuff,” Nicolas said.

Staff divided the students by grades – first/second; third; fourth; and fifth/sixth. Snacks, recess and free USDA-sponsored lunches – along with a good dose of new friendships and laughter – made each day complete. Lenihan said the camp’s cost was $205 but thanks to the support of St. Andrew Catholic Church, the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Sumner Educational Foundation, several discounts were made available to help out Sumner School District students.

The popularity of Camp Invention drew one Federal Way grandma to drive her grandson daily to the camp; other students came from Puyallup and one as far away as Arizona.

The week ended July 31 with a showcase to present to campers’ families. It was a momentous occasion which students could be proud of, she said.

“We’re needing scientists and engineers – it allows kids to think outside the box.”

She said she hopes to return to Camp Invention next summer, with registration beginning in December.

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