HSI: The Camp that Changed Everything

In 2022, Nolan Reitz stepped far out of his comfort zone and attended HSI. Stepping out of his comfort zone and taking the risk of going to a UW summer camp turned out to be a life-changing experience for Nolan. For Nolan, HSI was more than just a fun three-week summer camp; it was a place of self-discovery.  

This story has been edited for clarity and length.

One place where Nolan found himself was through his Robotics STEM course. Here, students learned about circuits and how to wire their own robotic creations. Students had access to their own Arduino Unos and other wiring supplies that they were allowed to take with them after camp. Through this course, Nolan uncovered his love and natural talent for creating robotics.  

“This class was by far my favorite, and I got to build several circuits, each more complicated than the last. Even though it was hard to understand what was going on and how to use everything, it was super satisfying when everything would finally work, and I’d get to bask in whatever creation I had just constructed. I far surpassed where the rest of the class was, attempting to build more and more complicated circuits.” Said Nolan. 

HSI encouraged Nolan and other students to show off their creations at the STEM showcase during camp. With the help of his friend, Nolan created a tetherball-inspired game that would play a song through a buzzer for the winner for is showcase project. 

This week and a half robotics class at HSI turnout to have far-reaching effects on Nolan’s life. When he returned to school that Fall, inspired by his tether-ball game, Nolan joined his school’s robotics club. He also took his first programming class, AP Computer Science. Nolan quickly excelled in both areas. He became the lead programmer for his robotics team and earned a 4 on his AP exam.  

“I’m not sure if I would have discovered this [his passion for computer engineering] without the help from Chauncy or without the classes from HSI that pushed me to learn more... So many of my important memories and experiences have happened as a result of my involvement in these classes and clubs, all of which I can trace back to HSI.” Said Nolan. 

Nolan also credits HSI for his decision to come to the University of Wyoming and study computer engineering. Through HSI’s info sessions, Nolan learned about the scholarships UW has to offer and the opportunities HSI provides in college. Nolan said, “I practically had a checklist of how I could make it all happen [coming to UW]. Just two short years later, everything lined up, and I started my degree in computer engineering here at the University of Wyoming.” 

For Nolan, HSI became more than just a fun high school summer camp. He discovered his passions in life and saw a path for himself in computer engineering.  

“Although the reason I went was to have fun, the things that I learned and the experiences and connections I gained have proven to be invaluable. At HSI, I discovered who I was and who I wanted to become.” Said Nolan.