This year’s Stamford STEMest will be the biggest and most exciting ever for us here at Rippowam Labs! The students who have learned from us, whether it was at NCC, Stamford Academy, FCA in Norwalk, the Trinity Park Housing Complex or at our makerspace, will be joining us to show off what they’ve been working on.
This year has been real special to us, because we’ve got to meet so many amazing people! And they can’t wait to share what they’ve learned with the general public!
The event will be held Saturday May 19th (beginning at 10 am) in Stamford’s beautiful Mill River Park.
We plan to occupy some tables right near the merry-go-round. We hope you can join us!!! Our booth will be so busy that you’ll probably get to see some old friends!!!
Oh, and Speakerbike will be making an appearance, so you can count on some lively and eclectic tunes to help us celebrate our incredible year!!!!
We wanted to alert our fans out there that we have acquired the stamfordSTEM.org URL and this will be used interchangeably with the rippowamlabs.org URL in the future.
Our first motivation for this move was to make our programs easier for the public to access. Let’s face it, the rippowamlabs.org URL was difficult for some to remember or even spell. Even if you are from Stamford, CT, you may not know that the Native American name for Stamford was “Rippowam.”
You can understand what I’m saying, right? Just picture how many times I had to say the following in a phone conversation: “R” as in Robert; “I” as in Indian; “P” as in Paul; “P” as in Paul; “O” as in Orange ….. You get my drift! We just wanted to make things easier for everyone.
The second reason for this is the fact that we want to signal a change to the community. While we will always be a makerspace at heart, so much of our energies are going into to tutoring and training these days that we thought it better reflected our new activities.
But don’t worry, the rippowamlabs.org is not going away. In fact, it will remain our home page. But when you type the stamfordSTEM.org URL into your browser, you should know that you will be re-directed to the rippowamlabs.org site.
But if you see any signs or advertisements around town or on the Web with the stamfordSTEM.org URL, you should know that Rippowam Labs is the group sponsoring the event!!!
Our lineup of Summer Tech Classes for 2018 is bigger and better than ever! These are easily the coolest tech classes everoffered in Fairfield County!!!
Autonomous Boat Build – Robots are changing the world on land and sea! In this class, students will build their own boat that will be powered by 2 separate 14 volt motors – and guided by GPS. Students will learn how to wire, power and program a system that will guide their boats from Stamford Cove Island Park to Pear Tree Point in Darien. This is a great lesson on batteries, DC Motors, microcontrollers and GPS sensors. Its also a great summer project that will be sure to impress college admissions reps. *Note: this is a 40-hour class that will run 8 am to 5 pm. Students can build their own boat ($1,250) – or participate in the building of another boat ($400). July 22- July 26.
Cell phone hacking – It’s no secret. We’ve become totally dependent on our cell phones. It seems there isn’t a moment of the day when we want to pick them up and stare at the screen.
But did you know that most phones are riddled with security flaws?
We’ll not only instruct students on how to lock down Android devices from outside intruders but we’ll also show them how easy it is to gain access to devices owned by others.
Students will learn the basics of the UNIX operating system (Kali) – and they’ll also create Android apps (Java/Kotliln) that can be used for white-hat hacking initiatives. *Note: No experience necessary but students must promise that they will not use their knowledge to violate any laws. Price $400. July 8 – July 12.
Industrial Arts Reboot – The baby boomer generation was blessed to have Industrial Arts classes offered when they were in schools.
Much to their detriment, millenials have not been offered this same opportunity. Students in this class will learn about the tools and techniques of
wood and metal working. They’ll learn how to use hammers, chisels, screwdrivers, soldering irons, welding torches, drills and saws to fabricate two
separate projects. It’s depressing that so few kids these days lack these basic skills – but this 40-hour class will get them up to speed. Price $450. August 5 – August 9.
Electric Skateboard Build – Students will be cruising in the fast laneafter learning to build and program this cool project, which can go 22 mph and travel up to 10 miles between charges. Besides soldering this beast together, they will also write two programs – one that will be flashed on the microntroller (which will manage the speed of the wheels); and another for a smartphone app that will control the microcontroller (via Bluetooth). We’ve brought this one back from last year but at a lower price (thanks to a new supplier)!! Price: $900. July 15 – July 19.
Self-balancing robot – This is a new twist on an old favorite . We’ll build a 2-wheeled self-balancing robot that will
use a distance sensor to navigate an obstacle course. New students and those who’ve taken our Intro to Robotics classes in the past
can learn something new in this week-long class . Students will get a complete tour of the Arduino microcontroller – and the coding
structures (loops, if-else statements) needed to control it . Price $450. July 29 – August 2.
Note: all summer tech classes can be taken at any time of the year, via our after-school tutoring program.
Our 6-week program at the Trinity Park Housing Complex has come to an end. Thanks to all the kids and parents who took part!
Each kids build and programmed their own robot – and got to take it home. Over the next several weeks, ,they will experiment with the code and we’ll meet again, to see who can make their robots do the coolest things.
I really enjoyed this bunch. They attacked each new challenge – and are looking or more to conquer. The greatest part about the class was when they uploaded code to the Arduino “brain” of their robot – and the wheels started turning. It’s always magic to the person who sees it for the first time – and these kids were no different. Their excitement only grew as they began to understand how the code works … and they began to add their own unique twist.
The whole idea of this was to give the kids something constructive to do on Friday night – and to provide an educational opportunity they don’t have in school.
We had such a great time, that we are looking to make this a regular Friday night event. Rippowam Labs covered the cost of this latest class, but we probably couildn’t continue on a go-forward basis. If anyone has any ideas for funding sources, let me know.
For the last few weeks, I’ve been teaching three different classes on Fridays. It’s made for a lot of running around and class preperation – but its been worth it!
I start my day at Stamford Academy. This is an alternative High School run by Domus , an incredibly successful youth services foundation. The students there didn’t have the privilege of growing up in an ideal home environment – but the staff is dedicated to pointing them in the right direction and making them successful individuals.
I didn’t quite know what to expect when I showed up – and they probably didn’t know what to expect when I walked through the door. But everything is working out spectacularly!
The objective of the class is for the students to build and program their own robots. What I’ve learned during my last two classes is that these kids are aching to learn things – and to create things with their own imaginations and their own two hands.
It’s actually not surprising. Most schools are choked off by Common Core guidelines – and students seldom get to do things that don’t involve them preparing for tests. So when they get a chance to build robots, solder PCB boards and write computer to control their creation, it’s a welcome change.
I was surprised at how quickly the kids in my class took to building robots. There are two kids in the class that I was worried about. I didn’t think they were going to be enthusiastic about the class. But they’ve surprised me with their initiative … and how much they can accomplish with little instruction.
I’m hoping to create a Robot Team soon – and I am going to ask the kids in this class to take part.
In the afternoons, I am over at the Family and Children’s Agency After School Program at the Ben Franklin School in Norwalk. This is the second class I’ve taught through this program. In this latest class, the students soldered some RGB LED strips to an Arduino Nano and uploaded code to control the color and intensity of the LEDs.
We had issues to overcome with this – the computers in the school’s labs weren’t playing nice with the Arduino IDE – but we got around them. And, once we did, the students unleashed their creativity!
At the beginning of one class, I told them that all colors on their LED strips could be represented via three RGB numbers. One of the kids did a Google search on his phone and found a color-picker tool that would provide him the three numbers that would produce his favorite color. You should have seen the look on their eyes when the LEDs turned the exact color they wanted!!!
The students plan to zip tie these strips to the bikes and backpacks..
This class actually ended yesterday – and I fought back tears when one off the kids said “I’m going to miss you, John.” But we are already starting to plan our next class, so I’ll be back in just a couple of weeks.
I’ve been spending my last few Friday evenings at theTrinity Park Housing Complex in Stamford. I started this at the suggestion of Lyda Ruijter, the new Town Clerk in Stamford. They were looking to add some programs for the kids there – and I jumped at the chance.
We’ve got a mixture of ages in the class. We have one HIgh School Freshman and then a bunch of kids between 3rd to 6th grade.
We have built the chassis for all our robots and now I am showing them how to upload code to the Arduino brain of their bots.
One of my students, Marc, had a great night last night. He uploaded code to his robot that made it drive in a figure-8 pattern. And I only gave him the tiniest off hints to help him with this task.
The younger kids are just a little behind Mark – and they are eager to follow in his footsteps.
But the main thing is that we’re having a whole lot of fun. We’ll be meeting at the Rippowam Labs makerspace next week. You’re all invited to attend!!!!
It’s always a pleasure to volunteer for the Aspire program, run by Norwalk-based Family and Children’s Agency. They’ve got a new home at the Ben Franklin Center – and the kids are loving it!
In the latest class offered by Rippowam Labs, the kids are learning how to solder an RGB LED strip to an Arduino Nano. Special thanks to Emanuel and Josh for being great helpers in Friday’s class!!!
In the latest installment of the Box Project Club, we’ll harness the power of the ESP8266 computer chip to create a strip of Christmas lights for your tree that you can control with your cellphone – from anywhere in the world!
If this is your first time with IoT, don’t worry one bit! The chip we’ll be working with is 100% Arduino compatible! But this WiFi-connected microcontroller can be controlled anytime/ whywhere, because its part of a WiFi network. So you could turn your Christmas Tree Lights on from your smartphone – or from any internet browser on the planet! This way, if you have relatives that have to be away for the holidays, they can take part in the fun at home too!
This project will require students to solder, write code (Arduino and HTML) and get creative with colors. No experience is necessary, though!!!
The event will take place on Saturday, December 16th at 9:30 am in our Labs at 425 Farifield Avenue. Signups are due by midnight December 8, to give us time to order the parts!
Kids everywhere have been caught up in the slime-making craze that’s sweeping the nation. My 11 year-old daughter has been making buckets of slime lately – and she wants to share what she’s learned!
On Friday, November 10th at 6 pm, come by our space and we’ll have everything you need to make your own batch of slime. So come on down and have a slimy good time!
*A $10 donation would be appreciated (to help us keep the lights on).
Our new home address at 425 Fairfield Avenue has so many interesting businesses! What’s probably my favorite is Longford’s Ice Cream.
I don’t know what it is – but they make the best I’ve ever tasted!
Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t something you eat if you’re on a diet. But these guys are 10 times better than Ben and Jerry’s – or any other well-known brand.
Most of their clients are commercial accounts – or restaurants in the area. But they do offer their products to the general public. Just visit their office at 425 Fairfield Avenue between 1 and 4 pm weekdays and you can buy a quart of their ice cream for just $6.
Sometimes, they even have sales, where you can buy 2 Quarts or $6!!! That’s what happened last weekend. I got the following:
Oreo Bomb
Mud Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Coconut chocolate chip (tastes like an almond joy)
They even gave me a free coffee mug!!!!
For the holiday season, they are also producing ice cream cakes and pies!!
You just have to try this stuff to understand how good it is!!!
This year’s Stamford STEMest will be the biggest and most exciting ever for us here at Rippowam Labs! The students who have learned from us, whether it was at NCC, Stamford Academy, FCA in Norwalk, the Trinity Park Housing Complex or at our makerspace, will be joining us to show off what they’ve been working on.
