Description

In 1982 I founded what came to be known as the PCS Centers for Enriched Education in Nampa and Boise Idaho. Designed for children ages 7-17, this after school and summer school system drew children from 50, or more, miles from the centers. Today it is known as PCS Edventures with it's own educational website, complete with learning format for students, parents, educators, and interested people. They boast centers in all 50 states and more than 10 foreign countries and many different languages. Tens of thousands of youth have passed through these centers during the past 25 years and the program continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Mechanical Engineering and Robotics are an important part of the program. This document was rescued from the Unix Mainframe that my junior high students assembled and maintained at a time when the internet did not exist. The Lego Lab was used by ALL students, even the computer kids. Every one loves Legos. The work of a child is play. To Play is to Learn. Adults do not understand this, for the most part, but when they observe it for a couple of hours they come away with a completely different understanding of how to use Legos. Here, then, is my original philosophy which I can proudly report is still at the heart of the Manipulative Mechanics and Robotics Program at PCS Edventures, Inc.