Meet 3 Dedicated Educators Making an Impact at Camp

For over 35 years, Camp Invention^®, the K-6 STEM summer camp from the National Inventors Hall of Fame^®, has created hands-on experiences that unlock student potential. Dedicated to nurturing student creativity and STEM confidence, Camp Invention Director Nancy Mitchell has been leading her local program for over 25 years. What started at Camp Invention in Amherst, Ohio, soon grew into something extraordinary — a family-oriented team dedicated to making a difference through exploratory learning.

Mitchell’s tight-knit team includes her daughter Ashley Conrad and longtime friend and colleague Terri Thoms. As they continue a legacy of bringing new and exciting adventures to students every summer, this incredible team of educators, friends and family have celebrated several full-circle moments with former campers emerging in key leadership roles as Leaders-in-Training (LITs) and enthusiastic Instructors. The program is now more than a summer camp — it’s a true community.

Inspired by the impact of invention education — an innovative and effective pedagogy that transforms student engagement — Mitchell, Thoms and Conrad shared their remarkable journey with Camp Invention.

Nancy Mitchell, Director

In an interview with the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Mitchell shared her enthusiasm for hands-on challenges that empower students to tinker, experiment and grow confident in their ideas. “How can you tell someone you teach Camp Invention without saying, ‘I teach Camp Invention?’” Mitchell joked. “It's that mindset.”

“I think the difference between [National Inventors Hall of Fame education programs] and a regular classroom is that for those kids who struggle academically, this is their chance to shine,” Mitchell said. “They come up with amazing things, and they're not afraid to try it. In the classroom, they may never raise their hand, but at Camp Invention, they're involved, they're excited and they want their ideas heard. It’s just a totally different environment.”

Through the years, Mitchell and Thoms have witnessed Camp Invention’s lasting impact on their students. The educators even recalled one particular student who attended as a young camper, returned as a Leader-in-Training, and expressed a growing interest in becoming a rocket scientist, all inspired by her years at Camp Invention. 

After leading this summer camp for over two decades, Mitchell pointed to the special bond she shares with her team. “Terri and I aren't related, but we're family,” she explained. “It’s really been our core people all along, and I think that’s part of what makes our program so successful.” 

Terri Thoms, Longtime Assistant Director and Educator 

The impact of Mitchell’s team starts with Thoms, a dedicated elementary school educator and former Camp Invention Assistant Director. “I have been a helper, an assistant and a volunteer for Camp Invention for 15 years,” she explained. Today, Thoms’ daughters Jessica Dickson and Dana Fejedelem have gone from campers to Camp Invention facilitators, and Thoms even has grandchildren attending the summer program.

Thoms explained that facilitating the Camp Invention curriculum made her a more effective science teacher. “I think being involved in Camp Invention made me a better teacher, allowing me to teach science in a different way, but also opening my eyes to what science was.”

Remembering her earliest days of camp, Thoms emphasized how the program has always provided opportunities for students to take apart items and explore how things work. “There was value in this component of camp — the take-apart. I'm telling you, it just piqued a natural curiosity in [students]. I think that it was an important part for me in my development as a teacher in building that thinking.”

Thoms also shared her thoughts on how Camp Invention provides much-needed enrichment in districts facing challenges with devoting enough time to core subjects and achieving adequate test scores. 

“I know how kids love science. I know how they're wowed by it. I know how sometimes it's hard for them to understand, but they can jump in and try, and I love that part of [Camp Invention]. I love the creativity,” Thoms said. “It makes it more important to have Camp Invention as an integral part of a school district. Because you have to give kids the opportunity in any way that you can. If you don't give it to them in the day-to-day curriculum, then you've got to find opportunities to give it to them other ways, and I think Camp Invention is a perfect way to do that.”

Because the Camp Invention program is new each year, Thoms has seen how the summer camp has evolved and developed imaginative experiences for children to explore STEM. “The curriculum writers are amazing; they just do a great job. They come up with such great things that are keeping the kids interested, keeping it fresh and new,” Thoms said. 

“If I could give teachers one word of advice, it would be, don't be afraid. It's a different way of teaching,” Thoms said. “Science is messy and chaotic, but it is the easiest subject to be the guide on the side and give the kids ownership of their own learning.” 

Ashley Conrad, Art Educator and Camp Invention Assistant Director 

Middle school art teacher Ashley Conrad has stepped into the role of Assistant Director at Camp Invention after watching her mom direct the hands-on STEM camp for as long as she can remember. As a parent and educator, Conrad sees the program from a fresh perspective, emphasizing the value of bringing engaging experiences to kids every summer alongside her mom. 

“I was a helper from the start, then I was a Leader-in-Training, and then I came back in my adult years to volunteer,” said Conrad.  “All those moments have made every year interesting and different, and it's fun to watch as a mother, as an adult, as an educator, to watch those moments at camp now and really understand why it's such a great program.”

Conrad says invention education experiences have inspired her teaching strategies to make the most of basic materials. Recalling her earliest experiences at Camp Invention, Conrad said, “There would be a take-apart, or just cardboard and duct tape, and the teachers would ask, ‘What can you create with this?’ I use the same concept in my classroom now.”

“Camp's given me ideas in the art classroom and the willingness to just say, ‘Go for it,’” Conrad said. “I have eighth-grade kids, and we're doing steampunk hats. I said, ‘I don't have a template for you; all I’ve got is this paper and this cardboard, and I want you to see what you can do.’ It was amazing to watch those kids who struggle academically, or struggle with other parts of school, and they say, ‘This was my favorite thing I've done all year.’”

Conrad explained that Camp Invention has helped her empower students. “When [students] are too afraid to do anything, you say, ‘Well, maybe try this.’ And then they do it, and the light bulb goes on. With science, with art, it's messy and it's fun. And then it's picking up the pieces and going, ‘We made a mess, but the kids learned something today,’” Conrad said. 

Conrad also values how Camp Invention provides creative ways for students to build entrepreneurship skills. “Every year, it seems they've done something different where they're making their own business,” she said. “So much of art and design is incorporated in that. Art is in everything, everywhere, and you're learning your math, your science, and you're learning your art. They all go together, and they complement each other. I love that I'm seeing a lot more art and design [while] they’re learning how to have a business, and what all goes into that.”

Fueling the Future of Camp Invention

For more than two decades, Mitchell and her team have created a ripple effect in their community. In the growing family tree of Mitchell’s team, their inspiring stories demonstrate a continued tradition of teaching with purpose. 

As Mitchell, Thoms and Conrad meet momentum with possibilities, they encourage other educators to bring Camp Invention’s hands-on learning experiences to their own districts. 

After participating in just one week of Camp Invention, research shows students benefit in areas including creativity, STEM interest, collaboration and problem solving. Through exploratory, hands-on learning, campers build the I Can Invent^® Mindset — a powerful growth mindset that equips them for long-term success. After seeing these benefits firsthand, Mitchell’s team is passionate about bringing invention education experiences to even more children, and their impact is an inspiring example of how Camp Invention shines brighter each year. 

Bring Camp Invention to Your District

Interested in bringing Camp Invention to your district? Learn more about this innovative program today!