High School Science Camps

• Students work with professional research scientists and science educators.
• High staff to student ratio, typically with one staff member for every 3-4 students.
• Service hours for data and specimen collection-based field work. (Consult your school to find out if you qualify.)
• Challenging, college-level academic content in earth and life sciences.
• Focus on building outdoor, research, leadership, and academic skills.
• Students guided into being better question-driven self-driven learners.
• Professional guidance for pursuing a career in the earth or life sciences, and related fields.
• Peer group of students with similar interests, motivations, and ambitions.

The Sternberg Museum Science Camp programs are built around a core philosophy of student development and advancement. We train our students with dedicated lessons and by example, giving them new tools and knowledge to use as they pursue their goals. To paraphrase many of our past students, it will be the most challenging, amazingly fun thing you’ve done!

Active Field Research
Working with professional scientists, students learn to collect data in the field using authentic techniques and equipment. All data collected is incorporated into ongoing research projects. Students are introduced to the ins and outs of structuring a research project, and how to apply techniques taught in the camp as general tools for their future endeavors. Special emphasis is placed on preparing students to pursue original research projects in college.

Skill-Building
Having a core set of professional skills can be incredibly valuable for students looking to advance their opportunities in the natural sciences. By introducing and developing these essential and specialized skills, we train our students to be productive, competitive, and prepared for work in science beyond the classroom.

Empowerment
Using active learning techniques, we challenge our students to think about science beyond raw facts and figures. Our staff implement challenging learning games and problem-solving scenarios, guiding our students as they learn to consider and connect their knowledge in a comprehensive fashion. In our field-based camps, our students are taught to safely and responsibly carry out our field tasks in a variety of favorable and adverse conditions. In doing this, students discover their own depths of resilience and strength. Students are taught to monitor themselves and others in their team, and take initiative to get the job done right.

“This camp experience provided many “firsts” for me. I had never camped in a tent before; I had never been away from family for that length of time; and I learned that given a significant purpose, I had endurance beyond my belief. It was definitely the highlight of my year.” – Alex Landwehr, Sternberg Paleontology Camp student (2017, 2018)

Advanced Academics
We introduce our students to foundational concepts in earth and life sciences to start out our programs. From the Law of Superposition to the population basis for evolution by natural selection, students are set up to learn content quickly as we build understanding through observations and focused discussions. Our staff are broadly trained in the topics of their respective camps, and are excited to engage with student questions.

Fun
We are program built for science geeks, by science geeks. We love spending time in the field or in the lab, and want to make sure our students see that while science can be hard work, it’s also a ton of fun. We strive to keep the work of field and lab science balanced with a healthy dose of laughter!

Our camps staff are professional scientists and science educators, graduate students, undergraduates, and select program alumni. We value a wide range of professional skills and career paths, in order to provide a broad set of skills training and perspective to our students. All of our staff are deeply passionate about science outreach and education in addition to their professional specializations.

Each field-based program includes at least one staff member with a Wilderness First Responder certification, ensuring quick, decisive action when dealing with any kind of injury or health concern in the field.

For questions about the Sternberg Science Camps programs, contact us at SternbergCamps@fhsu.edu or 785-639-5249.