Local children were given the opportunity to build their own robots during a special weeklong Penn State Robotics Camp held recently in the gymnasium at the Tamaqua Elementary School.

The camp, instructed by Tony Sandutch of Penn State Campus, Hazleton, encouraged participating children to build their own robotic creations by putting together an option of about 26 electronic configurations incorporating various components, ranging from single power source, relay control board and breadboard.During the last day of the camp, participants were given a chance to show off their robots to their friends and families."What a wonderful idea," said parent Mike McGinley. "This provides our kids something they wouldn't normal be exposed to. The kids learned a lot.""Students were given a chance to apply both math and science," said Steve Behr, who is principal of Tamaqua elementary schools.Organizers gave appreciation to the Tamaqua Blue Raider Foundation (TBRF), which provided financial assistance for participants."I hope they do this again," said Lindell Berg, whose two children attended the camp. "The TBRF scholarships made this financial doable for us. My kids had a great time too.""This program is a great start to an educational partnership with Penn State," said Eric Zizelmann, treasurer, TBRF.