Genius Camp
GENIUS CAMP – June 24, 2025 – New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
All 80 of the 12–14-year-old kids in the lecture hall wore the same Genius Camp T-shirts. The shirts’ design included chemical formulas, circuit boards, and CAD drawings to make them look high-tech. Outside, the entire East Coast was sweating through a heatwave, but the spacious room on the Rutgers University campus was air-conditioned and dimly lit. The director for Genius Camp, Melanie Obisbo, relished a few peaceful moments before rising to speak. She knew well that the new arrivals were still feeling uncomfortable and intimidated. In another two days, they would adapt and lose their inhibitions. Then it would be nearly impossible to demand their attention.
Melanie began grandly. “Welcome to Genius Camp. You are our country’s and our world’s hope for the future. When I look at you, I see the next tech billionaires who will change how we live. Genius Camp will be one spark to get you there.”
The director paused and looked at the faces staring back at her. She supposed everything she said had a ring of truth to it but it was hard to take seriously when she watched them struggle with simple tasks like keeping their shoes tied and washing their hands after using the bathroom. They exuded raw potential and enthusiasm, unbound by perspective or life experience. In a way, Melanie felt jealous of their ignorance.
Registering for Genius Camp meant either the kid or their parents had some degree of arrogance or ambition. Everyone in the room was eager to prove how smart they were. After a few more flowery remarks, Melanie described the first rule of the camp meant to dampen competitiveness.
“The first rule of Genius Camp is to have fun. You are here to make friends and learn something, not to show off.”
After talking more about teamwork and cooperation, Melanie had the camp counselors stand. They were Rutgers engineering students who worked on campus during the summer. “My hope for all of you is that you’ll come to Rutgers and be like these students,” Melanie said to the Genius Campers.
With more words of encouragement, the campers broke into groups of 20 and were sent off to their precisely timed learning activities locating in buildings overseen by the college of engineering. Melanie paused to absorb the eager looks as kids marched from the auditorium. She needed to appreciate that energy or it would be hard to keep going. After directing Genius Camp for seven years, she had seen almost everything that could happen and she did not want to become cynical and uninspiring.
She was not an engineer herself, although she worked to recruit students for the engineering college. During the school year, she spent most of her time in middle schools and high schools advertising Rutgers engineering. During the summer, she ran three weeks of Genius Camp along with other programs. Money was always tight and she had to balance salaries and supplies against what she could charge parents for day camp tuition.
After giving her latest batch of campers time to settle into their first activities, Melanie made the rounds to make sure things went smoothly. She watched kids program microcontrollers to make lights blink, build bridges from tape and popsicle sticks, coat the inside of a glass jar with silver from a chemical reaction, and hot glue paper rockets for outdoor launching across the quad. She paused to listen as two rocket builders debate their favorite Star Wars characters. It was a common theme. Most conversations between campers involved Star Wars, Minecraft, or obscure YouTube video channels they both enjoyed. It was innocent and juvenile stuff and Melanie smiled at how quickly campers discovered the many things they had in common.
After 90 minutes, camp groups switched rooms and activities. Melanie and one of her student helpers followed on “water bottle patrol,” reuniting dozens of forgotten water bottles and backpacks with their owners. Then they hurried to set up tables and chairs in the room where they would serve lunch. Thirty large pizzas were about to arrive. They would be stacked next to a pile of sack lunches provided by parents concerned about their child’s diet. Some kids were not allowed cheese or wheat. Others needed something healthier than pizza.
Melanie had exchanged emails or texts with one quarter of the parents to clarify diet and allergy issues. She expected more messages after the first day reporting things like the camp was not challenging enough for their child, their son or daughter preferred to be in a different group, or they needed to arrange an early pickup. Dealing with all the exceptions and special circumstances ate up most of Melanie’s time, but she kept a smile on her face as she handed out every child-specific lunch. She told herself that worrying about logistics was the burden of adulthood. The kids were there to have fun.
Lunch turned out fine. No one choked or broke out in hives. The same could be said for that afternoon’s activities. No one was electrocuted and no equipment was damaged. Melanie breathed a sigh of relief before the day’s final hurdle – pickup.
Along with her student helpers, Melanie herded all 80 Genius Campers to a circular driveway in front of the university’s student activity center. A line of cars filled with anxious parents had already formed.
“Hand in your nametags and your lanyards after you see your parents! And remember to wear close-toed shoes tomorrow!” Melanie shouted as kids rushed toward minivans and SUVs.
The campers scattered and the number of unclaimed kids dwindled. Ten minutes after the target pickup time of 4 pm, only a handful of them remained. Melanie sighed at the stragglers and one by one asked about their rides. “Are your parents on the way? Have you called them?”
Two of the stragglers, Cyrus Kim and Watson Vandenberg, sat next to each other fidgeting with the paper rockets they built earlier. Cyrus’s hair was short, black and straight while Watson’s was thick, curly and blonde. Neither boy had spent time that morning on grooming. They were young enough to still be free from acne breakouts.
“Who’s coming to pick you up?” Melanie asked.
“My brother,” Cyrus answered.
“He’s picking you both up?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you called and talked with him?”
“I don’t have a phone.”
Melanie turned to Watson. “How about you?”
“I don’t have a phone either.”
“Well, is your brother reliable?” Melanie asked, turning back to Cyrus. “Is he going to remember to pick you up?”
“I think so,” Cyrus said unconvincingly.
Melanie rolled her eyes without the boys noticing. “How about we call your mom just to make sure? Do you know her number?”
Cyrus recited the number and Melanie typed it into her phone. It was a contact her phone recognized. Cyrus’s mom had texted information about his food allergies. Melanie dialed the number but no one answered. She left a message explaining that Cyrus and his friend were waiting to be picked up. Then she sent a text explaining the same thing.
“Let’s hope she gets that,” Melanie said to herself.
Fifteen minutes later, the other stragglers were retrieved, leaving only Cyrus and Watson behind. They did not seem worried and occupied themselves by climbing waist-high cement pillars and then jumping to the ground. Melanie and four of her engineering student counselors sat watching, all of them feeling obligated to wait until the boys were safely gone.
Melanie tried calling and texting Cyrus’ mom again. No response. She decided on a new approach. “Cyrus, what’s your dad’s phone number?”
“I don’t know. I only know my mom’s.”
Melanie turned to Watson. “How about you, Watson? What are your parents’ numbers?”
“I don’t know. I used to have a paper I carried around with their numbers, but I lost it.”
Melanie sighed and returned to Cyrus. “How far away do you live? How long would it take your brother to drive here?”
Cyrus looked around and then pointed vaguely in a direction. “I think we live that way. I don’t know how far.”
Melanie groaned under her breath and tried Cyrus’ mom’s phone again without any luck. She still had to prepare for the next day of Genius Camp and her own kids were waiting at home for her. The student counselors sitting next to her were mindlessly clocking work hours as they waited, but Melanie did not want to send them away and lose their emotional support. One of them reminded her that they had all the parents’ contact information from when they initially registered their child for camp.
“You’re right,” Melanie said, kicking herself for not remembering sooner. She pulled up a spreadsheet and found Cyrus’s dad’s phone number. He answered after the first ring.
“This is Melanie from Genius Camp. Your son and his friend are waiting here to be picked up.”
“Oh no! His brother was supposed to do it!” Cyrus’s dad shouted for his brother and then scolded him for still being at home. “I guess I’ve got to do it,” the dad said to Melanie. “I’m on my way.”
“How long will it take?”
“Around twenty minutes.”
Melanie knew too well that people always underestimated travel times. She turned to her student counselors and said, “We’re looking at 5:30 before he arrives.”
The grumbling supervisors settled in under the shade provided by a roof overhang. Cyrus and Watson entertained themselves by balancing on an elevated curb to test how far they could walk or hop. As Melanie predicted, a gray Prius pulled up at 5:30. A man got out and hurried toward the group.
“Cyrus, let’s go!” he called toward his son. Then he saw Melanie and said, “I’m so sorry. His brother promised to be here.”
At that moment, a woman exiting the student activities building saw what was going on and shouted “Watson!” She hurried over and when she caught Watson’s attention, he shouted back, “Mom!”
“What are you still doing here?” Watson’s mom asked.
Cyrus’ dad jumped in with another apology. “Cyrus’s brother was supposed to pick them up. I guess he forgot.”
Watson’s mom looked at Melanie and the student counselors with sympathy. “You’ve waited with them this entire time? If only I had known. The boys could have come to my office. I work right here in the activities building.”
Melanie instantly turned to Watson. “Why didn’t you tell us your mom works here?”
“You didn’t ask. You asked me if I knew her number.”
Melanie was too tired to laugh at the absurdity. As both parents continued to apologize for the confusion, she replied half-heartedly, “It’s okay. As long as they get home safely.”
She watched Cyrus leave with his dad and Watson leave with his mom. Then she turned to one of her counselors and said, “There go our future tech billionaires. You’ll probably be working for one of them someday.”
The counselor smiled and replied, “Another day at Genius Camp. At least no one got hurt.”
“You’re right. Keep your fingers crossed for tomorrow.”
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