Join us for an exciting summer adventure as we explore the vibrant cultures of Spain, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Argentina! In this fun and interactive camp, middle school students will discover the traditions, music, art, food, and sports of these incredible Spanish-speaking countries.

Each day, we’ll dive into a new country through engaging activities like:

In this exciting hands-on course, participants will dive into the world of game development using Scratch, a beginner-friendly visual programming language, and then expand their skills by creating a custom controller using Makey-Makey. This course is designed for beginners with little to no prior coding experience, making it perfect for curious minds and budding game developers. During the first part of the course, participants will learn the basics of game design, programming logic, and animation using Scratch. They will explore fundamental programming concepts such as loops, conditionals, variables, and events while creating their own interactive games. From designing characters and backgrounds to adding sound effects and game mechanics, participants will unleash their creativity and build fully functional games. In the second part of the course, participants will move beyond traditional input methods and learn how to build a custom game controller using Makey-Makey. Makey-Makey is an invention kit that allows users to turn everyday objects into touchpads and connect them to a computer, turning imagination into interactive reality. Participants will explore circuitry basics, learn how to connect different materials to Makey-Makey, and customize their controllers to enhance gameplay experiences.

About the Instructor:

Kristine Penca is an enthusiastic and dedicated science and engineering teacher with a passion for STEAM education. With a focus on middle school years encompassing grades 5 through 8, Kristine brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to her classroom. She is a firm advocate for integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) into the curriculum, believing in the power of interdisciplinary learning to foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in her students. Throughout her career, Kristine has demonstrated a strong commitment to hands-on, project-based learning experiences that engage students in real-world applications of scientific and engineering principles. Her dynamic teaching style encourages curiosity, exploration, and experimentation, creating an environment where students feel empowered to explore their interests and develop a deep understanding of STEM concepts.

Ink and Imagination is an exciting writing workshop designed to spark creativity and nurture budding writers. Through a series of engaging exercises, campers will dive deep into the art of character creation and world-building, discovering how to craft unforgettable characters and immersive settings.  Campers will explore the power of storytelling and how we can use our passion and skills to pursue careers in writing.

Join Junior Chefs Culinary Camp for a fun, hands-on culinary adventure! Students will learn basic cooking techniques, create delicious dishes, and gain kitchen confidence.

An introduction to the basic elements and principles of theatre production. The fundamental techniques of acting are explored through physical and vocal expression, improvisation, theatre tech, and scene work.

Campers will spend the week conducting  fun chemistry experiments. Throughout every activity, there is an emphasis on safety, stressing the proper use of chemistry lab equipment, chemicals and other materials. At the same time, campers learn and put into practice principles and concepts that bridge simple chemistry activities and experiments that everyone loves, to more in-depth principles found in middle and high school chemistry. Campers will learn that an important part of any science experiment is asking questions in order to discover new things! All sciences intertwine and we will see that throughout the week and have a great time.

Martian seedlings camp will explore the planet Mars and embark on the complex endeavor of growing plants in this harsh environment. Campers will utilize critical thinking skills to create feasible strategies to engineer controlled environments, make nutrient rich soil, overcome a lack of water, and limited sunlight to grow plants in the hopes humans may someday inhabit the planet. This camp is designed to encourage students to have fun while using their imagination to strengthen technological, mathematical, and scientific skills. Everyday will be an opportunity to make discoveries, build friendships, and experience hands-on science that is relevant to future generations.

In this hands-on, collaborative course, students will design, build, and govern their own miniature sustainable cities—from eco-friendly infrastructure to renewable energy systems.