The Mission of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History is to foster “an appreciation and understanding of Earth’s natural history and the evolutionary forces that impact it…with an emphasis on the Great Plains.” Located in Western Kansas, we have a unique position serving rural regions of the Great Plains and surrounding urban populations with science education.  While continuing with school tour groups, after school programming, adult programming, family days, and community events, we are now expanding our reach by bringing Kansas’ natural history to K-12 students, and brining K-12 students to Kansas’ natural history.

As announced in a previous post, the Sternberg Museum is offering summer camps for elementary, junior high, and high school students beginning in the summer of 2014 (that’s THIS summer!!). These camps focus on introducing students to hands on field- and lab-based biology, ecology, and paleontology educational activities and adventures. Western Kansas is filled with exceptional, accessible natural resources that we are excited to introduce to and share with learners of all ages.  These camps are one more way the Sternberg Museum can provide science education to K-12 students and families. And in a world that is moving indoors and moving less, we can offer our camp-goers outdoor adventures in the wilds of Kansas.

We are offering single day camps for grades K-5, three day camps for grades 6-8, and a 2 week camp for grades 9-12.  You can find more information in the Camp Catalog posted on the Museum website.  There are still openings for new campers, but register soon because spots are filling! Contact the Education Director David Levering (the mastermind, energy source, organizer, and facilitator behind the camps) with questions or for more information.

So what could be more awesome than biology and paleontology camps in Kansas?  How about our efforts to keep registration costs down?! As with any new venture, there are a lot of start-up costs associated with getting the summer camp program off the ground.  Using a crowdfunding website called RocketHub, we are raising money to purchase camping gear like tents, stoves, and pots and pans for use in the overnight camps.  This keeps students from having to purchase/bring more than the personal essentials for camping.  We are also raising money to purchase the more technical gear associated with biology, ecology, and paleontology field work (GPS units, compasses, excavation supplies, etc.).  All in all, these fundraising efforts mean that we can keep the registration costs for each student down, making camps available to a wide range of students.

Amid our fundraising efforts, we have also had several generous donors donate money specifically for student scholarships.  There are 10 scholarships available for elementary students, one for junior high students, and two for high school students. The application process for financial aid is included in the Camp Catalog.

The Sternberg Museum has launched a new fundraising campaign to help support our summer field programs for elementary, junior high, and high school students. Located in rural western Kansas, our museum has the opportunity to provide science education not only to the Hays, KS community, but all of western Kansas and the Central Great Plains region.  Traditionally the education department, with support from the rest of the Museum staff, organizes events at the Museum and in the community (including schools) around the region to provide educational programming to inquisitive minds of all age. We are now expanding our program to take students into the field to experience a hands-on, outdoors approach biology, geology, and paleontology.

Summer camps kick off in June 2014! There are day camps for elementary school students, overnight camps for junior high aged students, and 1-2 week long camps for high school students.  All the camps focus on local and regional biology, paleontology, and geology. They not only get students outside and exploring the environment, but also learning how to ask and answer scientific questions; these camps provide a great way for students to develop analytical skills they will take with them beyond school. There will also be some family-based programming, as well!

Fundraising is underway to help cover the initical costs of camping and field equiment needed to run the biology and paleontology field camps. Covering these costs through crowdfunding means that we can keep camp fees down for students.

Check out our RocketHub website for more information. Recent press coverage provides additional information about the camps, too.

As always, you can find Sternberg actives online!
http://sternberg.fhsu.edu/
http://sternberg.fhsu.edu/active-learning/camps/

You can also contact Education Director David Levering for more information:
DALevering @FHSU.edu

Please think about supporting the Sternberg Museum and our efforts to provide more, engaging science education for all ages!