As a kid, Hunter Billen looked forward to having fun at summer camp every year, and he likely couldn’t have guessed the lasting impact attending Rose State Kids College would make on his life. Inspired and intrigued by his engineering-related camp experiences, Billen’s post-high school studies included attending Rose State College and then Oklahoma State University, where he received a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Now a structural and payload engineer for Boeing, Billen gives back as an instructor at Rose State Kids College, helping teach some of the aerospace and engineering-related courses.
“I really enjoy aviation and I like seeing the kids’ minds light up when they’re learning something new,” said Billen. “It doesn’t matter if they’re interested in aviation as a career; it’s about exposing them to a variety of different industries and experiences. Maybe it’s a new hobby or sport they get to try out during camp; it piques their interest, and they get to take that knowledge with them.”
Learning adventures for every interest
Matthew Weinrich, who serves as the director of K-12 initiatives at Rose State College, says it’s the diversity in course options that sets their summer camp apart from others.
“We have our STEM-focused classes, but we also offer basketball, painting, bowling and an alpaca experience where students travel to different alpaca farms,” said Weinrich. “The kids are having fun but they’re also learning something new each day from qualified instructors and industry experts. For instance, when Hunter is sharing how to design a rocket, he’s also able to share how he helps design airplanes for Boeing. We also have a retired Navy captain and local meteorologist, among many others, who generously share their time and expertise with our students.”
Billen says he was always the type of kid who liked taking things apart and seeing how they worked, a quality that is encouraged at Kids College.
“What’s unique about Rose State’s camp is the hands-on experience kids receive to explore whatever it is they’re learning that day,” said Billen. “The instructors really support their curiosity and the college cares what the kids and parents think. They want feedback about the programs and will evolve classes to fit the needs of the students they’re serving.”
More than 2,500 kids attended Rose State’s Kids College and Teen Scene summer camp in summer 2023, and Weinrich expects as many or more this year.
“We’re constantly reviewing our courses and designing new curriculum to keep kids interested and actively engaged,” said Weinrich. “It’s always great to see kids at the end of the day excited to share with their parents about what they did that maybe they’ve never done before.”
Weinrich adds that the camp has a family-type atmosphere and regularly sees kids develop lasting friendships.
“We have several families whose sibling groups have all attended our camp over the years and kids who look forward to seeing their friends each summer,” said Weinrich. “Many of our staff members have been involved in this program for years as well. It’s really a positive and encouraging environment.”
Rose State’s summer camps offer eight weeks of educational fun for kids in kindergarten through ninth grade. Kids College classes are designed for kindergarten through sixth grade students and Teen Scene activities are for seventh, eighth and ninth graders.
Morning and afternoon sessions are available Monday through Thursday covering a variety of topics, including art, photography, archery, video game design, Esports, robotics, 3D printing and more. Students can attend a single session or both morning and afternoon sessions with a supervised lunch period in between. All classes are taught by certified instructors.
Camp fees are $90 for one week of morning or afternoon sessions, $180 for one week of both morning and afternoon sessions (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or $200 for a week of both sessions plus before and after care. Registration opens March 14. Find out more at workforce.rose.edu/stem.
Unique Experiences at Rose State Kids College & Teen Scene
With more than 100 classes available, students can register for individual courses, a week or the entire summer. Check out a sneak peek at course offerings for summer 2024:
First and Second Grades
- Lego S.T.E.A.M.
- Candy Chemistry
- Physics Fun: Creation and Destruction
- Dawn of the Dinos
- Pokemon: Gotta Catch ‘Em All!
- Third and Fourth Grades
- Minecraft Ocean Voyage
- Stop Motion Animation
- Coding Competition
- Lego Master Builders
- Buggin’ Out
- Fifth and Sixth Grades
- Mural Art: Kids Addition
- Roblox Studio
- Roll Like BB8: Sphero Drones
- Comics Collide: Marvel vs DC
- Let’s Race Drones
Teen Scene
- Esports: Smash and Rocket League
- 3D Printing: Join the Force
- Movie Making Madness
- Battling Bots
- Let’s Fly Drones
