From Camper to Director: Discussing Camp Invention With Kelly Werner

“Camp Invention^® was one of the first camps I ever did, and I fell in love,” said Kelly Werner. A seventh-grade math teacher at Farnsworth Middle School in New York, Werner went from Camp Invention camper to Instructor to Director, gaining valuable perspectives on this unique STEM summer camp created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame^®.

In a recent interview with the Hall of Fame, Werner discussed her varied camp experiences and offered her thoughts on the ongoing evolution of this nationwide invention education program.

From Curiosity to Confidence

Werner attended Camp Invention in Kings Park on Long Island the summer before she entered sixth grade. When speaking about the camp experiences she remembers most, she described taking apart electronics and building new friendships.

“Being a kid and always curious, I always wondered what would be inside those electronic devices, so the fact that I was actually allowed to break something open was pretty exciting for me,” Werner recalled. “And then just the personal connections that I made there. I found a really cool group of kids I’d never met from different districts, and I got along with them really well.”

The experience led Werner to build confidence and become a collaborative problem solver, and some lessons learned at camp continue to influence her work as an educator.

“Being able to talk in front of people, definitely being able to problem solve, fueling my curiosity,” Werner said as she described the skills she gained at Camp Invention. “I'm a math teacher now, and I really think it helped fuel my love of learning and math and science, and the ability to work together, collaborate and problem solve – which is actually a lot of how I run my classroom, everything is problem solving and collaboration.”

Building Skills for Life

Ahead of the summer 2019 Camp Invention program, Werner’s local Camp Director asked if she would like to get involved as an Instructor. She thought to herself, “I went to this as a kid; I feel like I have to see what it's like now,” and she immediately took on the opportunity.

After two summers as an Instructor, Werner had the chance to become a Camp Invention Director. “I've never done a true leadership experience like this before, and I thought it would be really meaningful and would offer me that third perspective of camp,” Werner said.

Since the summer of 2021, Werner has led her local camp program. She described the turnkey program as basically running itself. “The resources provided for the Instructors are extremely supportive,” Werner shared. “I think the activities are amazing, and the videos. The students are always engaged, they're listening and they're absorbing the content. They are excited to share what they're doing and creating.”

Describing the engagement she has witnessed among her campers, she noted, “It was just fascinating how ‘into it’ all the kids were. And the questions they would ask, the excitement they had to share, they all wanted to let you know what they were doing, they were so excited.”

Werner also shared that she appreciates the concepts campers explore with each summer’s all-new program. “They learn about aspects of physics, they learn about some biology systems. But I think the most important thing is the life skills they take away from it,” she said.

“Camp Invention cultivates and maintains a culture of curiosity. It helps students achieve those higher skills of problem solving, collaboration and communication. That is something you can use in any facet of life, and I think that is the biggest impact camp has on these kids.” 
– Kelly Werner, Camp Invention Director 
 

During Werner’s most recent camp season, in the summer of 2024, her campers enjoyed an unforgettable opportunity – the chance to meet National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Marshall Jones when he visited their Camp Invention program.

Werner said that many of her campers asked Jones, the inventor of industrial lasers, if he’d ever developed an invention that failed, and his response taught them an important lesson in perseverance. “Hearing it from someone who's so successful – him being able to say ‘Yeah, I had things that didn't work out, but you keep trying, you problem solve, you work with other people and you get it to happen.’”

Looking Toward the Future

“I really hope that this camp continues to progress and grow and reach more families,” Werner said. Having gained multiple perspectives on the Camp Invention experience, she is in a unique position to offer honest opinions and advice to educators, families and future campers.

What would Werner say to fellow educators who might be considering bringing Camp Invention to their districts? “Do it,” she said. “It's going to inspire your own teaching. And the feedback I get from parents and students is always so positive. So if you're thinking about bringing camp to your district, I strongly, strongly encourage it, because there are kids who could benefit from this and would really be excited to be part of it.”

For families considering signing up their children to attend camp, Werner wants them to know that many of her campers love the program so much, they return for another brand-new program the next summer. “Constantly having almost the same population of kids show up says a lot. These kids go home and they're excited to tell you what they're learning, what they're doing.”

To all kids who want to explore STEM and creativity, Werner says, “Follow your dreams. I think the world needs more people who are willing to create, innovate and improve, and to inspire the next generation.”

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