Engineering: From Designing To Doing
Prepare to be amazed as you watch your differently-wired kiddo make real friends, explore this unique content, grow under the guidance of this expert mentor, and be seen in all their glory!
Why Take This Course?
There are 2 levels to this incredible course: Intro and Club. The Club is an ongoing course that can be taken for up to 2 years!
📣 Introducing Engineering for all future engineers!
Have a bright engineer in your family who seeks to understand how things work?
They will be right at home in Engineering Class! This course is available in multiple levels. If you have a new engineer on your hands, please start with our Intro to Engineering course. Once your kiddo has completed that then they are ready for our Engineering Club where they will expand their knowledge!
This course is a deep dive into understanding of design concepts with physics, electronics, (and eventually computer control in the advanced course). We will be using weekly real world hands-on projects, designed mostly by the students themselves, to demonstrate principles and concepts of electricity, physics, and computers. We will be moving slowly, giving plenty of time for discussion and questions to make sure the concepts are fully understood. The goal here is understanding of how things work, and how parts work together to create a whole, utilizing things like physical gears and levers and motors, driven by electricity, controlled by electronic components like switches, accelerators, resistors, batteries, and eventually adding in computer control of those devices.
Remember, true engineers don't "read" the instruction, engineers "write" the instructions.
In the next level of Engineering, Engineering Club, we will be taking our work to the next level by working on projects like: building a working medieval catapult complete with auto firing distance sensor, an automatic trashcan, an automatic mouse trap, and just about anything else your bright engineer dreams of!
Everyone in the club will share inspiration on what to build, and help each other by collaborating on designs. What will you build? This requires an expanded electronic component kit, to expand the old pilot kit into a fully functional set of components that let you use both analog and digital circuits. If you have the original pilot kit, bring it and add the expansion kit. IF you have not done engineering before, get the full kit and dive right in.
Basic computer knowledge is strongly encouraged (copy and paste, opening programs, downloading, saving, etc.)
*If kids cannot do independently, adult should be present and available to assist during class
Watch Our Students in Action
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Have a bright engineer in your family who seeks to understand how things work?
They will be right at home in Engineering Class!
If you are looking for a deep dive consistent course for hands on engineering, physics, electronics, and programming, you found it! This is truly a unique offering! Please read the complete description below to understand this ccourse.
This course is a deep dive into understanding of design concepts with physics, electronics, (and eventually computer control in the advanced course). We will be using weekly real world hands-on projects, designed mostly by the students themselves, to demonstrate principles and concepts of electricity, physics, and computers. We will be moving slowly, giving plenty of time for discussion and questions to make sure the concepts are fully understood. The goal here is understanding of how things work, and how parts work together to create a whole, utilizing things like physical gears and levers and motors, driven by electricity, controlled by electronic components like switches, accelerators, resistors, batteries, and eventually adding in computer control of those devices.
This is not a simple "follow these instructions and build this thing" course. The students will be expected to design and build their own projects to the requirements given and using the principles discussed in class. To do this will require full understanding of the concepts and principles of engineering.
At the heart of the course is the kit called "LAB-BOX" which contains the electronic components and connections. THIS KIT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR TAKING THIS COURSE, BE SURE TO ORDER SOON ENOUGH TO HAVE IT FOR FIRST CLASS SESSION! There will be extra common materials required for each project, at the discretion of the learner and their own design for the project. This fosters individuality around a common understanding and project. The extra materials should be readily available around the house or a local hobby or hardware store and deciding on these materials is part of the design process of engineering.
In this course, the learners will build relationships with each other and the teacher. Group discussions and brainstorming is a key component, followed by individual activity and creation between live classes. The class size is kept relatively small to foster more relationship and more individual attention for all.
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Parents LOVE this course because their students make leaps and bounds in:
✅ project management skills
✅ planning
✅ problem solving
✅ critical thinking about the world around them
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Materials Required: once you enroll you will be required to purchase the engineering kit for $69. Please do so ASAP so that your child has the kit in time.
Ages: 8-15
Class size: Maximum- 8 Students
Level: All Levels
Price Per Session: $49
How To Enroll
Explore Times
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What Our Parents Say…
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“Mr. Salch is without a doubt a phenomenal educator. He makes these students laugh and keeps them excited. Not to mention the work they are doing is incredible! My daughter built and programmed a robot!!! The next level of this class can’t come fast enough!”
-Solange
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“This class made our son fall back in love with learning. He now wants to work in robotics, thanks to Mr. Salch. We couldn’t be happier!”
-Carl
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“Classes and camps at YSA have been a game changer for our pre-teen! Mr. Salch has such an amazing way of teaching children that you don’t find everyday! Trust me, have your kiddo take a class with him!
-Kelly
Meet Your Mentor
Mr. Salch
I am a retired tech executive, father of 13, experienced online teacher. Over the last six years I have successfully taught over 10,000 students across several platforms, schools, and approaches. During this time I have perfected the art of online teaching with hands-on activities in an exciting and inviting environment.
The focus in all my courses is understanding of foundational principles. I strongly believe in helping my students climb Blooms Taxonomy beyond mere memorization and well into problem solving. I like to teach students "how to think about this to solve problems" and "how things work". Once they see the core principles, their built in curiosity and drive kicks in to push them deeper into exploration and skill set building.
Yet I believe each child is unique, with a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Our job as the adults in their lives, is to help them overcome the weaknesses while building success on the strengths. This is not a "cookie cutter" approach, but rather a individually tailored experience.
Explore Other Courses Offered by Young Scholars Academy
Our Promise To You
Satisfaction Guarantee:
If you’re not 100% IN LOVE with this course within the first 24 hours, you can either transfer to another course, get a 100% refund credit toward a future class or get a 75% money-back.
That’s it! No hassle!
In 3 years and over 500 families served, only 2 families have ever used this.
*more info in FAQs below
Questions Asked By Fellow Parents
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4 KEY things:
1- A focus on the positive! We don’t focus on what students aren’t doing, we support what they are and we know the rest will come. We develop strengths, interests, and relationships. We build students up so they can build a better world! And do it with the new friends they make in our program!
2- Like-minded neurodivergent peers. Our asynchronous students need one another and YSA is a safe haven for these kiddos to connect around their asynchronies, quirks, and interests. We’re a place where they can be their authentic selves and make friends while doing so!
3- Passionate, masterful neurodivergent mentors who have walked the walk and can authentically validate and support your child with personal experience and care AND expertise as we all have advanced masters + degrees
4-Content your students care about taught in a way they love! We offer the courses they need to be taking, not the ones they’re required to take.
Come by and see for yourself!
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Please don’t confuse reactive “distance learning” and virtual enrichment programming. After all, a student who is completely fried from a boring zoom class is often quick to pick up a tablet or phone, right?
Our courses are not at all the same animal =)
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We offer a satisfaction guarantee!
If you’re not 100% IN LOVE with your course, you can:
1- Transfer to another equal value class at no charge (space permitting)
2- Get a 100% refund to a YSA credit
3- Get a 25% money-back to your credit card
Refund requests must be received up to 24 hours after the first day of camp. After 24 hours after the first class begins there will be no refund of tuition.
The non-refundable 25% deposit is critical as it allows us to determine which courses we can run.
Note- this is a satisfaction guarantee, therefore your child must attend class to qualify.
*Note- Yearly courses like AP require a 30-day notice
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We do! We have 3 kinds:
1- Word of mouth: 25% off- we know that the best way to reach new families is word of mouth. When you help another family enroll in a YSA class and they name you at checkout, you will get 25% off the cost of the course you’re currently enrolled in once they stay past the refund period. Note— this applies to all regular courses, BUT only applies to the first month of membership courses.
2- Multi-sibling: 10% off- We believe in supporting whole families and we are willing to put our money where our mouth is! When you sign-up 2 or more kiddos you will receive 10% off. Note— this does not apply to our membership courses.
3-Multi-course: 10% off- To fully serve your family, we hope to provide your child with all the courses they dream of taking! To make this more affordable, when you enroll in 3 or more classes, you will receive 10% off. Note— this does not apply to our membership courses.
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Of course!
As we like to say, if you’re on our site, you’re in the right place.
Our programming is for students who are not being supported or challenged enough in school.
If you have an asynchronous kiddo who you know has strengths and struggles, our courses are for your child.
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2e students experience such asynchronous development that it proves difficult to have hard age limits.
We often evaluate students on a case by case basis =)
Please email us and we’ll discuss: sam@youngscholarsacademy.org
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All of our programs are 100% virtual. This allows us to bring together the twice-exceptional/neurodivergent students of the world, connect them, and nurture them!
Your child may very well enter a 6-person class with 5 other students from 5 different states/countries!
Cool, right?