Museum of Aviation officials say that more than 1,300 pre-K through high school students participated in a total of 24 week-long camps this summer.

The subjects ranged, a museum press release noted, from launching a rocket, Newton's law of motion, "gross things" in our body, creating culinary delights to being a princess or a pirate for a week.

The overall focus, officials stressed, was learning that science, technology and engineering can be fascinating.

Although the students were primarily from Middle Georgia, there were participants from a number of states. In the flight simulation camp, 19 of 65 students were from outside Georgia.

"I had students from Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, Tennessee and South Carolina," Wayne Carley is quoted in the museum press statement. Carley teaches principles of aviation along with team building and leadership development.

STARBASE ROBINS offered three programs including robotics, engineering and the science behind crime scenes.

Camp guests included Smokey Bear and Ranger Willie Vance to talk about fire safety while Officer John Clay discussed solving mysteries. Dan and Kathy Hart, dressed in authentic pirate costumes, also visited pre-K classes.

This past year, the museum has provided educational programs to 58,000 students and teachers from 84 Georgia counties, the press statement reported.