The School of Mines is holding its GEARUP program for the 22nd year. It is a six-week scientific summer programme that includes a lot of interactive projects like flying drone.

Main aim of the Mines behind organizing the camp is to infuse so much confidence in students that they can decide their own course. A few dozen juniors across the state and nine reservations have been selected for the small programme.

As a part of programme, students have to create and fly a different drone mission every week. Mines professor Dan Dolan said those students who know nothing about the drones enjoy with the machine. They take a lot of selfies with the drone, said Dolan.

The aircraft is small enough to be controlled with an iPhone application. Dolan said he has recently purchased the drone for $300. He was quite happy to see students flying the drone.

Dolan thinks it is important to have such programmes as it will encourage women and minority students to choose STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

Such camps allow students to get a feel of being an engineer. They also learn basic concepts to solve problems in the real world. "They don't have to build the machines, but they find special ways to use it", affirmed Dolan.

Dolan feels that the camp would certainly allow children to make a career choice, if they have not made it.