Warren Sexton is fascinated by technology and engineering and is even an Invent Idaho winner. He wants to be an engineer when he gets older.

This week he’s in paradise learning more about his passion. He is learning how to program robots and launch rockets while touring the Micron fabrication plant in Boise as part of the Micron Foundation’s 18th annual Micron Chip Camp.

“I want to make the world a better place with technology,” said the Middleton Middle School eighth grader.

The free, three-week camp is hosting 200 middle school kids from across the state, with 70 students participating each week at the Boise School District Dennis Technical Education Center. Kids are learning what engineers and scientists do every day.

“The camp broadens the horizon for what is possible in the workforce,” said Kami Faylor of the foundation.

Chip camp was created to expose students to the semiconductor industry. The foundation hopes the camp will help influence students to incorporate challenging math and science courses into their high school schedules.

Students get three days of hands-on learning:

• Virtual reality technology learning about the economy, industry, social interactions and entertainment.
• Building and launching rockets while learning Newton’s laws.
• Learning how to conduct Raspberry Pi programming.
• Science demonstration provided by Idaho State University and Boise State University.

“This is helping me realize what I want to do when I get older,” said Carsyn Lothropstaudt, an eighth grader at Nampa’s East Valley Middle School. “The best part is working with the engineers.”

Nearly 150 Micron engineers and professionals lead the activities, teaching kids about the intricate business of designing and manufacturing semiconductors and integrated circuits.

On the third day of camp, all the kids are bused to Micron for a tour and to participate in chemistry experiments and computer programming. Click here to learn more about the camp.