Young detectives learn tricks of trade during Spy Tek camp

Four aspiring sleuths were hard at work making periscopes during a recent Science Adventure camp at the Augusta Jewish Community Center.

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These children attended the Spy Tek camp, where they learned various mystery-solving techniques and made tools of the trade.

"This is an awesome program. They learn all kinds of things. They learn about sound and light. It's very scientific," instructor Dotti Blackburn said as she helped the children make their periscopes.

The young scientists also made a listening device called a spy ear and learned about fingerprints during the weeklong session.

"I've never had a child not like this program," Blackburn said. "I don't think they realize they're learning. They have a really good time, and they learn things that help them in school."

Ian Gallo, 7, a rising second-grader at Stevens Creek Elementary School, still had faint telltale ink stains on his fingertips from a previous day's activities.

"We took a balloon and put our fingerprints on it," he said, and then they blew up the balloons and their fingerprints got bigger.

Ian said his fingerprints have arches and loops, but no whorls.

Keaton Hill, 9, who will enter fourth grade at South Columbia Elementary School this fall, also enjoyed learning about fingerprints.

"I didn't have any arches. All of mine were either whorls or loops," he said.

Madeleine Shapiro, 8, a rising third-grader at Stevens Creek, said she has been to many Science Adventure Camps.

"I always love it because science has always been my favorite subject," she said.

She said she enjoyed the Spy Tek camp, too.

"You kind of get to learn how to spy on people, and you get to make all these cool gadgets and stuff," Madeleine said.

Owen Brantley, 7, a rising second-grader at Cedar Ridge Elementary School, also said science is his favorite subject in school.

He said he plans to use his periscope to spy on his mom and dad.

In addition, he said, "I've learned about spy ears. They can help you hear stuff far away. One day I went out and used my spy ear. And guess what I heard? The only thing I heard was birds chirping."