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1 to 7 of 7 reviews |
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
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 No refund and poor program, Jul 26, 2012
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reviewer: Lan
from
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| My daugther was removed from the week long summer camp by InventNow after only attending 3 hours on the first day. I had paid $190 for the entire week's attendance. My daughter can have agression at times which are likely related to medical conditions and a possible imbalance or toxins in her system related to past medicines prescibed by her dr. for a seperate mecical condition currently under investigation with the FDA for possible recall due to causing agression. I myself am a licensed counselor. She sees many drs. and a counselor for her condition.
I explained the entire situation and asked for a full refund from InventNow for the week long camp since she didn't even make it there a half of a day so that I may pay for seperate child care for the week for my daugther. I had to call multiple times after being told I'd get calls back and never did. THen finally InventNow refused to provide any refund at all. This is unfair and poor practice for an organization that is a non profit and supposedly family centered. I will also file a complaint with the Ohio Attorney General's office if a refund of $190 is not issued.
My other daugther attended for the entire week and I"d agree w/ others that the camp was not impressive. They used many of the staff from the actual school it was being run through as well as teenagers as camp counselors. I could not see that any had science degrees. My daugther made "a costume" at science camp! At the end, nobody explained directly to the parents what their chid invented or helped them explain it as a presentation to the parents. I had high hopes for the camp but wasn't very satisfied with what my daugther actually learned while there.
I am filing a complaint w/ the BBB and the Ohio Attorney General |
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
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 Is it a bad camp? or are you hearing one point of view?, Jun 15, 2011
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reviewer: 1stHandExperience
from
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| I've seen first hand as a camp counselor for Camp Invention
just how awesome it really is. Every student in my group has a
decent and happy experience throughout the day. And I'm on
here to defend them and the fun they have. Camp Invention
isn't about enhancing your genius child so they can be the next
Albert Einstein. ITS ABOUT HAVING FUN AND INTRODUCING
YOUR CHILD TO NEW EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE!!
Around this age your child doesn't know what he/she wants to
exactly do in life. Who knows if they want to become a marine
biologist, architect, biochemist, or technician. Camp Invention is
all about giving your child the small taste of something they like
and letting it grow from there! I have even learned a thing or
two about rare animals in the world, how a common household
gadget is put together, and static electricity!
Now, to debunk the false the reviews. As with the variety of kids
in the world, there are also a variety of counselors. The other
reviews talk about how terrible or how young these people are.
In Camp Invention there are two types of counselors: Standard
Counselors, and Junior Counselors (the "young" or new
counselors). No matter the group your child is in, there is at
least one Standard Counselor or a new counselor that has had
some experience with the youth. The Junior Counselors are
mostly there to do the "grunt" work (clean up, run errands, or
just assist the Regular Counselor). But just like teachers or any
other worker in the world, they are not perfect. Stereotyping
based off of one counselor is a terrible habit and everybody
reading this should know you don't base the entire group on
one judgement.
Continuing on, the other reviews talk about how their "gifted"
child breezed through the camp and how too "easy" it was for
them. Each module is specifically designed by Camp Invention
so that the kids always have something to do, and the Module
Leaders personally tailor each little step so that if a kid were to
finish early they have a add on task to push their thinking a
little further. The only reason a child would finish early and be
completely bored would be because they didn't put any time,
effort, or thinking into their project, OR they went into the
camp or module thinking it was "stupid" which would ruin the
whole experience.
As I come to a close in my review, I just wanted to say a few
things. Camp Invention is a great experience due to the
knowledge acquired, social connections made, and all around
fun your child has (if they participate). I like to think that this
one review will help push one parent to sign their child up and
the one experience they have at Camp Invention will grow into
a lifelong interest and eventually bloom into a hobby or career
they are genuinely happy with! Seeing the smiles and
excitement in my Green Group when they learn something cool
or solve the problem makes me extremely happy that I have
been a part of this Camp. I only hope that people reading my
review understand and just give it a chance. There is always
something new and fun to learn in Camp Invention and wish
best of luck to future Campers and Inventors!! |
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3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
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Camp Invention???? Camp Boring!!!!, Jun 07, 2010
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reviewer: Mom2boys
from
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| I have a gifted 10 year old who LOVES to create and build things. I thought this camp would be right up his alley. WRONG. He came home the first day saying he hated it and it was for babies. They cut up styrfoam and put toothpicks in it. Way beneath his thinking. He finished his styrofoam thing in 10 minutes and sat there for 20 waiting on everyone else.
This camp is not for the really smart or gifted student. |
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
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Great Camp for creative children, Jul 03, 2009
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reviewer: Pinkydinkydo
from Concord NH
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| My son Sam (age 7 going into second grade) attend Camp Invention for the first time this year. I saw the flyers last year and for some reason I didn't sign Sam up. This year i was actively seeking out science camps for Sam. I found the Camp Invention website in early spring and remembered about seeing the flyers the year before.
They have Camp Invention all over the country. (I think there was 5 locations in NH alone three of which start next week so it may not be to late to register online) There is a mix of professional teachers and councilors.
Here is the description of the program from the website.
"A WEEKLONG SUMMER ENRICHMENT DAY EXPERIENCE FOR CHILDREN ENTERING GRADES ONE THROUGH SIX The Camp Invention program instills creative problem-solving and critical-thinking skills that will encourage children's future success. Nothing could be more important than investing in your children today for the betterment of their tomorrow."
After reading that and more about the program I was sold. It seemed right up Sam's alley. Many programs though don't meet expectations, this program more then exceed mine and I believe Sam's.
Here is a run down of our experience.
Sam was in the Red group (groups are by age)a there was 11 children in his group. Every morning they would have "base camp" where I would be leaving Sam doing something fun. The day was broken up into modules. Each module run by a teacher (there as 4 professional teachers at Sam's location) Not every location does the same group of modules and the modules are different each year.
The modules from Sam's program can be found here: Discovery Program http://www.invent.org/camp/parentsExplore.aspx
He did each module every day. I can't tell you which was his favorite becasue he loved them all.
Kids bring in a take apart item from home (an broke appliance) Sam brought in his first day an old laptop computer. He could not use it due to some safety issues so he brought in an old hand mixer the next day. (even i was impressed what was inside it LOL) Each kid in encouraged to come up with some 'fantasy invention" with the pieces. Sam didn't get a chance to do that becasue he had such fun taking it apart. He plans to still do something with it though.
Every day Sam would come home from learning so many new things and many new adventures. I would ask him on a scale of 1 to 10 how was the day. Every day was always a ten with the exception of the last day. Today he told me it was 10,000. He also said the last day was his favorite.I think he enjoyed watching everything he learned come together.
Sam loved the challenges: His group finally start listening to his ideas.(this was a challenge for him since he still gets speech therapy in school) The pride that his groups shelter didn't collapse. The excitement that his idea allowed his team to be the first the ring the bell and coming up with his super hero "Super Shell" the super turtle.
There was this great newsletter that came home each day called the 'Invention Connection" It would have a run down of the day, activities for home and the theme for the next day (like bad hair day, silly outfit day, and crazy hat day) It was great. One of the gems was sharing the website. http://www.inventnow.org/ This is a great free interactive website for children about creative thinking, the invention processes and links to fun educational website. . There is even content on the website that ties into his Camp Invention program. (Invent Now Kids and Camp Invention have the same nonprofit parent company National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation)
The last day was topped off with the Inventors Showcase where Sam was able to share everything he learned and did at the program.
He is planning on attending again next year(and already can't wait) and his little sister Abby will be old enough to go next year too. |
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
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Camp Invention, try Camp Frustration, Jun 26, 2009
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reviewer: Portland camper
from Portland, Oregon
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| This camp was worse than awful. The site staff was very rude, combative and unprofessional. My child was bored and the staff seemed incapable of handling a child who was not interested in an activity. (note my child is rather creative and enjoys other camps) Although my child brought many "inventions" home, the overall message was they were not good enough and my child should have done more and finished to early for the allotted time. The children have recycled items to make into something else, but there was little time to help kids who needed help. The counselors are young teens and my child's JR counselor was 10 years old! There are older teachers there but they have too many kids for the number of trained adults. The program was scripted and inflexible and allowed for no emergent learning. This camp was a waste of time and money. |
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
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Camp Invention? try Camp Frustration!, Jun 25, 2009
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reviewer: Portland mom
from
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| I would not have my child go back to this camp for free! It was a totally wasted week. My child was not interested in doing the same activities (that they do every day) and says she was ignored in her activities. They seemed unprepared for students who finished early in activities or who were not interested in the current activity. The whole camp struck me as a pushy day-care.
The site staff was rude and very unprofessional with me and we ended up leaving the camp mid week.
Spend your camp dollars elsewhere where there is come accountability! |
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
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 Camp a big disappointment, Apr 06, 2009
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reviewer: Mmfsam
from Saratoga Springs NY
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| The camp is staffed by teachers and college kids. Unfortunately there is little quality control. The Staff and program are very low level. No one actually had a science or engineering background nor were they very creative. Research well WHO will be teaching.
My 8 year old who loves creating and science HATed this camp. She found it very boring. |
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