2016 Bootcamp
By Yashna Bansal ‘17
Originally posted on NDSJ
Notre Dame’s Robotics Team, the Janksters, recently hosted their 4th Annual Boot Camp. Using this four day camp as an opportunity to recruit new students and spread more awareness about STEAM, the Janksters created and led workshops revolving around the team’s different aspects–mechanics, electronics, programming, and business.
Campers gained various technical skills through student-led workshops. On Monday and Tuesday, the attendees rotated through four different workshops, gaining basic skills in wiring and programming an Arduino, using power tools such as saws and drills, CADing (Computer Aided Design) and 3D Printing keychains, and designing personalized buttons on Adobe Illustrator. Wednesday and Thursday, the campers were able to take a tour of the TechShop (which the team uses throughout the year to manufacture different pieces for various projects and the robot), drive and learn more about the robot, work in teams to complete a Rube Goldberg challenge, and explore one of the Monday and Tuesday workshops more in depth.
The campers gained a lot more than just new technical skills. Robotics Boot Camp provided an opportunity for the incoming Notre Dame students to interact with one another and create friendships before the school year even began. Through the different group activities and workshops, the Janksters and other students created a bond that will carry through with the group of students who join the robotics team this year.
Beyond the impact this camp had on the campers, the Janksters who helped lead and facilitate everything grew as well. Jayel Ambat (‘19) reflected, “As a sophomore, I still have a fresh memory of my experience in Boot Camp last year” which played a huge part in her decision to join the robotics team. She talked about how different it was for her to go from being a camper with no prior robotics experience to being one of the Janksters knowledgeable enough to lead a workshop. And she wasn’t the only Jankster who learned from the experience of teaching and bonding with the incoming freshmen and other students that attended the Robotics Boot Camp.