2026 camp registration closes April 10.

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High Schooler Programs

Ages 15 - 18

Welcome to the Sternberg Science Camps+ earth and life science high school programs! Click on any of the program titles below to learn more, or click here to start your application!

Field Paleontology Utah (full for 2026)

Start date: June 21, 2026
End date: July 3, 2026
Camp start location: Las Vegas, NV
Arrival airport: Harry Reid International Airport
Camp end location: Salt Lake City, UT
Departure airport: Salt Lake City International Airport
Travel guidance for Utah programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 4/5
Description: Join instructor and National Park Service paleontologist Alexandra Bonham for a two-week adventure in Utah exploring the fossils, geology, and modern biology of its amazing landscape. Alexandra worked for us in 2022 as a teaching assistant on Field Paleontology: Kansas while completing her Masters at University of Georgia. Since then she has worked as an NPS paleontologist in the Southwest United States, primarily in Utah.

Students and staff will convene in Las Vegas, Nevada before heading into Southern Utah to begin their trek to dinosaur field sites, amazing canyons and rock arches, and even a stop at Dinosaur National Monument. While out on hikes, students will also get a taste of modern desert biology and ecology. This is our third year running this camp, which was phenomenally designed and piloted at maximum enrollment by instructors Maggie and Marjie in 2023 and run again by Alexandra in 2024 and 2025. We're immensely excited to be returning it with Alexandra at the helm again, giving more students the chance to experience the incredible natural history of Utah!

This is a fully tent-camping program, using a mix of primitive sites as well as sites with showers. Students will have an opportunity to do laundry in town midway through camp.

Camp activity highlights:
- Visiting spectacular geological monuments at Arches and Canyonlands national parks.
- Working with professional paleontologists at established research field sites.
- Visiting Dinosaur National Monument, and meeting NPS paleontologists
- Exploring desert wildlife including reptiles, nocturnal mammals, and birds.
Registration fee: $4,252
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Field Paleontology North Dakota (returners' camp)

Start date: June 21, 2026
End date: July 3, 2026
Camp location: Bismarck, ND
Primary airport: Bismarck Airport (BIS)
Travel guidance for North Dakota programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 3/5
Description: This field paleontology program is being offered in collaboration with the North Dakota Geologic Survey, and will be making use of established Cretaceous Hell Creek field sites. Students will work with NDGS paleontologist Dr. Clint Boyd as well as Sternberg Camps+ TAs on ongoing field projects as well as visit other regional sites for shorter exploratory trips. The Hell Creek is one of the most famous and prolific fossil-producing geologic settings in the world. In North Dakota, components of the Hell Creek have yielded large marine and terrestrial reptiles along with incredibly complete geological and paleobiological records.

While this is program is predominantly field-based in its planned activities, the group will be staying in a local AirBnB unit instead of tent-camping. In past years we have had issues in the dakotas with severe weather severely damaging tents and vehicles, so we are opting for a pragmatic approach to reduce risks. This also makes the program a bit friendlier to students wanting to get field experience, but possibly have little or no prior camping experience.

Note: Applicants must have successfully participated in one or more Sternberg camp programs at the high school level in a prior year. The age range is also 16-18, as per request of our program partners in North Dakota.

Camp activity highlights:
- Working with the NDGS state paleontology crew including instructor Dr. Clint Boyd.
- Fieldwork in the world-famous Hell Creek Cretacous fossil sites on North Dakota.
- Indoor activities such as screen-washing and sorting microfossils using on-site lab facilities.
- Lessons and skill-building in stratigraphic geology fieldwork.
- Behind the scenes visit to NDGS museum in Bismark, ND.
Registration fee: $6,669
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Field Paleontology Tennessee (returners' camp)

Start date: July 12, 2026
End date: July 24, 2026
Camp location: Eastern Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Primary airport: Tri-Cities Airport, Blountville, TN
Travel guidance for Tennessee programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 5/5
Description: Building on the success of our Paleontology Academy Tennessee program, this camp will get students learning the intracies of safe, successful paleontological fieldwork in caves! Implementing a college-level curriculum developed by co-instructor Dr. Blaine Schubert, students will get hands-on with mammal fossil deposits in area caves. In these deposits lay the remains of prehistoric organisms that fell, washed or blew into the cave and were buried in mud, secure from the destructive natural forces outside. The cave walls themselves are also fossiliferous, made up of ~300 million year old limestone from an ancient sea. Skeletal remains of vertebrates found in these cave deposits are ~1.8 million years old, and can include organisms such as sabertooth cats, giant ground sloths, giant aramdillos, and mastadons, along with much smaller mammals such as voles. Cave fossils are a remarkable resource, and the skills we present in this program to study them are relevant to paleontological field projects around the world!

Note: Applicants must have successfully participated in one or more Sternberg camp programs at the high school level in a prior year.

This is a dorms-based camp, with students and staff staying in the Eastern Tennessee State University dormitories and eating in the ETSU dining hall as a group.

Camp activity highlights:
- Learning to use proper safety equipment for cave-based paleontology field work.
- Assisting ETSU faculty in fossil surveying and collection in area cave sites.
- Team management and planning procedures needed for technically hazardous field paleontology to be done safely and successfully.
- Learning to identify skeletal remains of organisms found in visited cave deposits.
- Behind the scenes visits the Gray Fossil Site Museum.
Registration fee: $5,136
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Field Geology Yellowstone

Start date: June 21, 2026
End date: July 3, 2026
Camp location: Yellowstone National Park
Primary airport: Bozeman, Montana
Expected physical exertion level: 3/5
Description: Geysers, volcanos, and fossils, oh my! Yellowstone National Park has it all and our staff are ecstatic to teach you all about it! Returning staff Carson Cope, Claire Wolfe, and Alese Thompson are back together and would like to invite you to join them on this two-week adventure! Students will learn about the intricate geologic processes involved in creating beautiful features like the infamous Old Faithful Geyser and lesser-known spots like Black Sands Basin and Grand Prismatic Springs. Beyond learning how geologic processes form the features of Yellowstone, students will be able to learn how these same processes impact the local environment and biology. Students will be able to hike throughout the National Parks, work alongside professional geoscientists, and speak to National Park employees. Students will learn proper field skills, interpersonal communications, and, of course, the geology of Yellowstone. Students will learn invaluable skills that will aid them in their future endeavors, particularly in fields like Geology, Environmental Science, Paleontology, Natural Resources, and more! Students will have an opportunity to do laundry in town midway through camp..

Camp activity highlights:
- Exploring Yellowstone’s iconic geothermal features, including Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Black Sands Basin.
- Hiking throughout Yellowstone National Park while practicing safe and effective field skills.
- Working alongside professional geoscientists and meeting National Park Service staff.
- Learning how geologic processes shape both landscape features and local ecosystems.
- Building skills in geology, environmental science, paleontology, and natural resource studies.
- Developing teamwork and communication skills during a two-week immersive field experience.
Registration fee: $7,766
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Field Geology Utah

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Start date: June 21, 2026
End date: July 3, 2026
Camp start location: Las Vegas, NV
Arrival airport: Harry Reid International Airport
Camp end location: Salt Lake City, UT
Departure airport: Salt Lake City International Airport
Travel guidance for Utah programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 3/5
Description: In Field Geology Utah, students will spend two immersive weeks exploring several million years of volcanic activity across Utah’s incredible geologic landscape. Guided by instructor Caroline Rogers, participants will investigate cooled lava flows, lava tubes, cinder cones, and other striking volcanic features. Caroline's master’s research at the University of Missouri focuses on volcanic complexes in the Black Rock Desert and southern Utah. Along the way, students will hone their skills in geologic mapping, rock and mineral identification, and interpreting volcanic deposits to understand how diverse geologic processes shaped the region. The experience also includes guest presentations from regional professionals, opportunities for rock hounding, and visits to iconic natural areas such as Zion National Park, Dixie National Forest, and nearby state parks. As they explore, students will encounter glimpses of human history preserved in Indigenous petroglyphs carved into both volcanic and sedimentary rock formations.

Students and staff will stay together in an Airbnb rather than tent-camping, making this program an excellent accessible fit for those eager to study Western U.S. geology without the need for extensive camping experience. Evenings will feature structured group discussions focused on geologic modeling, digital mapping, forming research questions, and a range of pre-college skills. Shared responsibilities in communal living create additional opportunities for community building essential life-skills, and personal growth. Meals will be communal, with students learning how to menu-plan, grocery shop, and cook and clean up as would be standard practice in an academic fieldwork trip. Each day blends field exploration with hands-on learning, mini-projects, and thoughtful reflection, providing students with a comprehensive and supportive introduction to field-based geologic study.

Camp activity highlights:
- Exploring volcanic features including lava flows, lava tubes, and cinder cones.
- Geologic mapping, rock and mineral identification, and interpreting volcanic deposits.
- Visits to iconic natural areas such as Zion National Park, Dixie National Forest, and state parks.
- Guest presentations from regional geologists and opportunities for rock hounding.
- Hands-on field projects, mini-research assignments, and geologic modeling exercises.
- Communal living experience with meal preparation, group discussions, and skill-building in pre-college research practices."
Registration fee: $5,451
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Paleontology Academy California

Start date: July 12, 2026
End date: July 24, 2026
Expected physical exertion level: 3/5
Camp location: Santa Cruz, CA
Arrival airport: San Jose Mineta International Airport
Travel guidance for California programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 2/5
Description: Paleontology Academy California invites high school students to spend two immersive weeks exploring the dynamic intersections of marine life, geology, and deep time along the Northern California coast. This blended program combines field-based exploration with paleontological discovery in the Monterey and Bay Area regions. Students will examine living coastal ecosystems, compare extant species with their extinct counterparts, and investigate how shoreline environments have shifted through geologic time. Behind-the-scenes tours at institutions such as the UC Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley and the Monterey Bay Aquarium connect participants directly with active research, collections work, and the scientific community. Throughout the program, students build skills in observation, scientific reasoning, and conceptualizing long-term ecological and geological change.

Complementing this academic depth is a slate of engaging field experiences that reflect the Sternberg Museum Science Camps’ tradition of authentic, research-aligned learning. Students will visit iconic sites such as Capitola Beach, Moss Beach, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and regional fossil localities to practice real-world data collection and fossil interpretation. Additional activities including whale watching, coastal hikes, and dedicated time examining marine fossilization processes will reinforce daily lessons and provide a holistic view of coastal systems. As with all Sternberg programs, evenings include group discussions that support students’ growth as developing scientists, offering guidance on college pathways, research involvement, and career exploration in the earth and life sciences. This camp provides a challenging, inspiring gateway into marine paleobiology and coastal ecology, designed for students eager to discover how the past and present meet along the amazing Pacific Coast shore.

This program will be lead by Marjean Cone (Curator of Education) in collaboration with the Museum at Georgia Southern .

Camp activity highlights:
- Field exploration of Northern California coastal ecosystems and fossil sites, including Capitola Beach, Moss Beach, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
- Comparative study of living marine species and their extinct counterparts through hands-on observation and fossil analysis.
- Behind-the-scenes tours at UC Museum of Paleontology at Berkeley and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, connecting students with active research and collections work.
- Whale watching, coastal hikes, and marine fossilization exercises to reinforce field-based scientific skills.
- Evening group discussions on college pathways, research opportunities, and careers in earth and life sciences.
- Residential experience fostering collaboration, independence, and community among participants.
Registration fee: $6,362
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Paleontology Academy Colorado (Full for 2026)

S tart date: July 12, 2026
End date: July 24, 2026
Camp location: Denver Metro Area
Airport: Denver International Airport
Travel guidance for Colorado programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 2/5
Description: Paleontology Academy Colorado invites students to immerse themselves in the geology, ecology, and deep-time history of the Rocky Mountain region through hands-on paleontological lab and field experiences guided by Amy Atwater of the Dinosaur Ridge Museum. Participants will explore fossil-rich sites around Boulder, Denver and the Front Range, prospecting for and documenting remains from Colorado’s remarkable Mesozoic and Cenozoic landscapes. Students will learn the tools and techniques of professional paleontologists including connecting field sites and collections to grant writing, fossil identification, and fossil collection care methods. Activities will highlight the relationships between geology, ecology, and taphonomy, and how they produced the fossils we find in Colorado today.

Complementing field-trip days, students will participate in lab- and museum-focused sessions hosted by Dinosaur Ridge and partnering Front Range institutions. These activities will include fossil hunting, assessment, and , creating archival storage, and processing field discoveries for incorporation into museum collections. Guided discussions will connect students with professional pathways in paleontology, museum work, and geoscience research, drawing on Amy's experience in both academic and museum-based paleontology. Museum Academy Colorado blends outdoor exploration with behind-the-scenes museum learning, offering an exciting, immersive introduction to the scientific practices that are immensely valuable across scientific disciplines.

Camp activity highlights:
- Hands-on fossil prospecting and documentation at sites across Boulder, Denver, and the Front Range.
- Lab and museum sessions including fossil assessment, archival storage, and preparation for collections.
- Learning professional paleontology techniques: identification, collection care, and connecting fieldwork to research and grants.
- Exploration of geology, ecology, and taphonomy to understand fossil formation in Colorado.
- Behind-the-scenes experiences at Dinosaur Ridge and partner institutions, including museum collections work.
- Guided discussions on paleontology careers, museum work, and geoscience research pathways."
Registration fee: $5,623
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Research Academy North Dakota (returners' camp)

Start date: July 12, 2026
End date: July 24, 2026
Camp location: Bismarck, ND
Airport: Bismarck Airport (BIS)
Travel guidance for North Dakota programs.
Expected physical exertion level: 2/5
Description: Research Academy North Dakota is a program for returning high school campers ready to immerse themselves in the paleontology and geology of incredible soft-tissue fossilization taphonomy. This program is run in partnership with the North Dakota Geological Survey and NDGS paleontologist Dr. Clint Boyd, who have been pioneering techniques to work on such specimens including "Dakota", a fossil mummy Edmontosaurus. Working at established field localities, participants will investigate the extraordinary conditions that allow soft tissues and their microscopic and chemical traces to persist over tens of millions of years. Students will prospect, excavate, and document fossils using the same field strategies employed by professional paleontologists. Additional excursions to regional sites will highlight how shifting geological and paleoenvironmental settings influenced fossil preservation potential in the region during the late Mesozoic.

Working directly with NDGS scientists, participants will contribute to ongoing research efforts while gaining practical experience in the delicate specialized work on soft-tissue fossil prepartion, preliminary lab documentation, and research techniques suitable for such important fragile fossils. Research Academy North Dakota is designed for returning Sternberg high-school–level participants (ages 16–18) seeking a deeper, research-oriented comprehensive experience in one of the world’s most intriguing fossil-producing regions. Students and Camps TAs will stay together in a comfortable local AirBnB rather than any tent-camping. This approach has been chosen to reduce risks from severe North Dakota weather while keeping the focus on hands-on scientific work. Evenings will include group discussions on topics such as designing independent research projects, navigating academic pathways in the geosciences, and the challenges of interpreting soft-tissue preservation in deep time.

Camp activity highlights:
- Fieldwork at established North Dakota fossil sites, prospecting and excavating soft-tissue specimens.
- Hands-on experience with delicate fossil preparation and preliminary lab documentation.
- Collaboration with NDGS paleontologists, including Dr. Clint Boyd, on ongoing research projects.
- Excursions to regional geological sites to explore fossil preservation and paleoenvironmental changes.
- Evening discussions on research design, geoscience careers, and interpreting soft-tissue preservation.
- Comfortable group lodging in a local AirBnB to support focused, immersive scientific work.
Registration fee: $6,463
- Scholarships are available! For more information, please visit our Scholarships page.

Fee covers:
- Meals and accommodations during camp
- Transportation during camp
- Group equipment
- Materials for activities

Fee does not cover:
- Flights to and from camp location
- Personal gear including clothing and toiletries (see the packing list linked above for more details)
- Accomodations before the camp begins and after the camp ends
- Food before the camp begins and after the camp ends

Students doing outdoor paleontology and geology.

Field Programs

These programs lean heavily into outdoor aspects of paleontology and geology sciences. This includes technical fossil fieldwork, excavation, and crucial fieldwork safety skills.

Students doing a mix of indoor and outdoor paleontology and geology.

Blended Programs

Our blended camps offer a mix of lighter field experiences combined with relevant skill-building lab work. Fieldwork is done with day-trips instead of overnight camping.

Students doing lab-based paleontology and geology.

These programs lean heavily into lab and research collections work with the possible exception of a field trip or two. Fossil preparation, data analysis skills and research collections are frequently part of these programs.

Returner-Only Programs

These camps are specifically for students who have successfully completed one of our other high school programs in a previous summer. They include field work and lab-based research programs.

All high school camps include the following:

Meals and snacks, typically from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day. We keep a substanital food budget, and are capable of working around most specific dietary requirements so long as they are disclosed in advance in the student's CampDoc application. This being said, hyper-specific needs may create challenges we cannot meet, especially in field settings. These should be discussed with the Camps Director prior to applying.
Staff supervision includes at minimum a lead instructor and teaching assistant. For our field-based camps we include a staff member with an active Wilderness First Responder Certification. WFR Certification training is done through the National Outdoor Leadership School.
Transportation and accomodations during the camp. This includes pickups and dropoffs at the designated airport for the camp. We cannot do airport pickups or dropoffs anywhere other than the one designated for each respective camp.
Materials and equipment for all camp activities. This varies from camp to camp. For details, please see individual camp descriptions. If you have further questions, contact us at SternbergCamps@FHSU.edu.
Photography of activities by staff. Students are of course welcome to take photos as well. We typically post photos to the Camps' accounts on Instagram and Facebook whenever on-site staff are able to provide some from the field. Larger uploads of photos and videos by staff take place after the camp has concluded. (Sometimes staff are in areas with poor signal strength and are unable to transmit photos. We ask for patience with the frequency we post updates.

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2026 camp registration closes April 10.

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All high school camps include the following:

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High School Science Camps

2026 camp registration closes April 10.

High Schooler Programs

Field Programs

Blended Programs

Lab-Based Programs

Returner-Only Programs

All high school camps include the following:

Start Your Science Adventure