Robotics, LEGOs among Temple ISD summer offerings |

Summer break does not mean learning stops for students in Temple ISD.

On Monday, the district opened four summer programs: Camp Invention in partnership with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at Thornton Elementary, Robotics Camp at Kennedy-Powell Elementary, Middle School Math Camp at Temple High School and LEGO Camp at Temple High School.

“Summer is a wonderful time to reinforce the learning from the school year and extend new learning opportunities to ignite the creativity of our students,” Lisa Adams, Temple ISD’s deputy superintendent of academics and school leadership, said. “This summer we have increased our learning opportunities to support our students in both of these areas and partnered with our community to support STEM and literacy activities for our learners.”

In 2022, Rohan Raju was one of the several students that participated in Camp Invention at Thornton Elementary — a weeklong education program that the National Inventors Hall of Fame developed.

“I’ve learned a lot of random stuff that I don’t think I would have learned anywhere else,” the then 11-year-old student at Scott Elementary said. “And all of the activities that we do are just really fun.”

Temple ISD also extended its “Read, Lead, Succeed” reading program.

“Students of all ages can log their minutes spent reading from May 27 to June 27 with weekly incentives for the top readers,” Temple ISD spokesman Jon Wallin said in a news release. “The program is designed to help promote reading during the summer months. Those extra offerings are in addition to the district’s summer school, bilingual enrichment, and credit recovery offerings normally provided each summer.”

Temple ISD Superintendent Bobby Ott is pleased the district offers programs such as these, as he believes idle time and summer learning loss are a dangerous combination when it comes to maintaining student success.

“We make a concerted effort to provide a wide range of opportunities over the summer to keep students engaged and connected to academic learning,” Ott said.

Other summer programs in Temple ISD will include a middle school band camp June 10-14 at Temple High School, and a series of sports summer camps — a strength and conditioning program, a baseball skills program and swim lessons — at Temple High School.

Those offerings can be accessed online at wildcatstrong.com/search/summer.