BPL 2018 Summer Learning: Teen Programs Include Spoken Word Poetry Camp, Engineering Robotics Camp

What: 2018 Birmingham Public Library Summer Learning, over 400 free activities for kids, teens, and adults being held at 19 locations across the City of Birmingham in June and July 2018.
Details: Summer Learning puts an emphasis on learning through reading to prevent the dreaded "summer slide," a term referring to learning loss that occurs when students are on summer break.

Make plans to attend the 2018 BPL Summer Learning Kickoff Celebration at the Central Library on Friday, June 1, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

The theme for the 2018 BPL Summer Learning program is "Libraries ROCK.” You can register and print out a downloadable calendar for kids, teens, and adults at BPL's Summer Learning page.

Are you a teenager desiring to learn how to program robots or how to create cool objects using a 3D printer? Do you have a child with a gift for poetry who desires to write a spoken word poem about the civil rights movement that’ll be archived for future generations to hear?

Then make plans to participate in the 2018 Birmingham Public Library (BPL)’s Summer Learning programs for teens. As a new member of the Urban Libraries Council, BPL is joining others in transitioning programs from the traditional Summer Reading program to a Summer  Learning program. Summer Learning puts an emphasis on learning through reading to prevent the dreaded "summer slide," a term referring to learning loss that occurs when students are on summer break.

Here is a listing of select teen summer learning programs taking place in June and July:

Teens Engineer BHM Robotics Camp, Monday-Friday, June 4-8, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Central Library/Create205 Learning Lab/2nd Floor. Registration required.
Teens Engineer BHM is a partnership between BPL and the UAB School of Engineering. UAB student mentors will teach participants computer coding, how to program robots, and more. Students must bring their own lunch. Registration is open to the first 20 students in grades 6-12. Teens Engineer BHM is also offering several free two-hour engineering programs at libraries across Birmingham in June and July. Teens Engineer BHM is sponsored by grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham and the UAB Benevolent Fund.

Spoken Word Poetry Camp: Civil Rights Through the Eyes of a Young Poet, Monday-Friday, July 9-13, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Central Library/Create205 Learning Lab/2nd Floor. Registration required.
In a partnership between BPL’s Archives Department and John Paul Taylor of Real Life Poets, this camp will talk about Birmingham’s role in the 1960s civil rights movement and compare it to civil rights today. Participants will complete a spoken word poem by the end of the week and perform it as it is recorded into BPL’s digital archives to share with the world. Registration is open now with a 25 student limit. Students must be in grades 9-12.

Full S.T.E.A.M Ahead: How to Make a Tissue Box Guitar, June 11, 3:00 p.m., Inglenook Branch Library 
Teens will make their own guitars out of tissue boxes and discuss how different size strings (rubber bands) vibrate to make sounds. Materials provided.

M.A.D. (Music and Dance) Skillz Dance Co., June 28, 10:00 a.m., East Ensley Branch Library
Winston Strickland, artistic director at M.A.D. Skillz, will teach teens the latest hip-hop dance moves. No experience is necessary.

Rock "N" to the Rhythm of the Drums, June 26, 10:00 a.m., East Lake Branch Library
Lavondia Bryant-Square, director of Nathifa Dance Co., will teach teens how to move and groove to traditional African drum beats. This program is also being offered at several other BPL locations this summer.

Smithfield Computer Science Club, Thursdays during July (July 5, 12, 19, 26), 10:00 a.m., Smithfield Branch Library
Teens will code with Scratch and use Google CS First’s Music and Sound to create music videos. Learn what it’s like to be a computer programmer.

Are You a Rock Star? June 21, 2:00 p.m., Pratt City Branch Library. Registration required. 
Hey teens, think you have what it takes to be a rock star? Come show your skills at Pratt City Library’s karaoke competition. Prizes will be rewarded. Register in advance by calling 205-791-4997.

Visit the BPL events calendar for a full listing of summer learning events and programs for all ages. 

BPL 2018 Summer Learning is made possible by generous support from the Alabama Power Foundation.