Academics

Momentum in Motion: Exploring Collisions and Propulsion in the Wild

Whether objects are colliding or exploding, the amount of momentum in the system will always remain constant. This simple principle can explain the behavior of pool balls, collisions in hockey, rocket propulsion, and supernova explosions. In addition to a variety of hands-on activities investigating momentum, participants will employ the Law of Conservation of Momentum to launch communication signals in the wilderness.

Into the Wild: Tales of Adventure and Survival

Trek into the rugged world of classic and contemporary survival stories, filled with action, heart, and the triumph of overcoming challenges! Together, we’ll find inspiration for crafting our own tales of suspense and resilience. We’ll explore real-life survival skills to add authenticity to our stories and participate in interactive writing activities that encourage imagination. Adventurers will leave with a personalized reading map to guide future journeys, along with storytelling tools like character development tips, plot-structuring strategies, and more to help them trailblaze their own creative paths.

Falling with Style: Design Your Wild Ride

In this exciting workshop, participants will design a creative, silly, and unique method of transportation for their dream wilderness adventure. Drawing inspiration from Up, where balloons lift a house into the sky, participants will use their imagination to create an out-of-the-box vehicle—whether it's a flying canoe, a giant walking boot, or a car powered by squirrels—and bring it to life with JavaScript!

Meet the Session One Instructors HERE!

The Wide Ocean of Statistical Analysis

Are you curious how data shapes the world around you? This seminar will dive into a wide variety of topics in statistics, probability, and data analysis. In this seminar, you'll discover how statistics helps us process the world around us and allows us to make informed decisions through analyzing biological, temperature, and other forms of categorical and quantitative data of the ocean while exploring how statistics can help deepen our understanding of the human effect on the world. Participants will also explore univariate and bivariate data and probability through analyzing pollution and its effects on marine life, and participants will utilize advanced statistical concepts such as the Central Limit Theorem, the Normal distribution, and more through a wide range of engaging activities, games, and real-world examples. Statistics is one of the most important branches of math for a wide variety of fields, and in this seminar, you'll develop critical skills that will last a lifetime—while having a blast!

The Age of Discovery: From Astrolabes to Zheng He

Space might be the final frontier, but the oceans were humanity’s first and still most difficult frontier. After sailing the oceans for millennia, there are still many unknowns that are left to be discovered. What we do know about the oceans is because of human ingenuity and creativity. This seminar will look at technology and explorers that have allowed us to peer into and across the watery abyss and study those who have glimpsed some of the wonders that lie beyond the nearest shore. In groups, participants will research and analyze sources on either a maritime explorer or piece of technology from the Age of Discovery (1400 - 1800), which helped change or improve our understanding of the world. Participants will use that same ingenuity and creativity to present their findings and tell the tales of oceanic perils and perseverance in the form of a group podcast.  

Survival of the Deepest: Deep Sea Challenge

In this seminar, participants will explore the science of adaptations while honing their coding skills to create an engaging interactive game. They will learn how to implement game logic, variables, and conditions in JavaScript as they design a deep-sea creature with a unique adaptation like bioluminescence or echolocation. Participants will tackle the challenge of programming obstacles and survival mechanics, such as evading predators, finding food, or navigating through treacherous ocean terrain. This session will emphasize critical problem-solving and creative coding, with a deeper focus on implementing logical sequences and debugging than the workshops designed for younger age groups.

Meet the Session Two Instructors HERE!

Rocketing Through Momentum: Exploring Forces and Propulsion

Whether objects are colliding or exploding, the amount of momentum in the system will always remain constant. This simple principle can explain the behavior of pool balls, collisions in hockey, rocket propulsion, and supernova explosions. In addition to a variety of hands-on activities investigating momentum, participants will employ the Law of Conservation of Momentum to launch rockets that reach for space.

Out of This World: Exploring Adventures in Space

Prepare to launch into the boundless universe of space stories! In this imaginative workshop, explorers will dive into tales of space missions, alien encounters, and far-off galaxies, uncovering what makes these adventures truly unforgettable. We’ll develop skills to create stories that soar beyond the stars! In addition to discovering a cosmic list of must-reads for a summer of stellar reading, participants will chart a course for writing their own science fiction tales, learning world-building, character development, and techniques for crafting suspense that’s out of this world.

Falling with Style: Design Your Galactic Ride

In this creative workshop, participants will use JavaScript to design their own spacecraft, but with a twist—they’ll need to figure out how it will be propelled through the vastness of space! Whether it's powered by space jellyfish, rocket unicorns, or cosmic bubbles, they’ll use their imagination and coding skills to bring their spacecraft to life, incorporating fun and unique propulsion methods to embark on a thrilling space adventure.

Meet the Session Three Instructors HERE!

Tech-Infused Analytics: Statistics of the Modern Era

Are you curious how data shapes the world around you? This seminar will dive into a wide variety of topics in statistics, probability, and data analysis. In this seminar, you'll discover how statistics help us process the world around us and allow us to make informed decisions through technology, its development, and its effects on human psychology. Participants will explore univariate and bivariate data and probability through analyzing Moore's Law, and participants will utilize advanced statistical concepts such as the Central Limit Theorem, Normal distribution, and more through a wide range of engaging activities, games, and real-world examples. Statistics is one of the most important branches of math for a wide variety of fields, and in this seminar, you'll develop critical skills that will last a lifetime—while having a blast!

From Sputnik to the Internet: Technology of the Cold War Era 

Human history has been shaped by technology whether it's roads or railroads used to expand empires or the development of devices like the telegraph or telephone that make communication instantaneous and easy. In recent history, The Cold War was an intense and transformative time as scientists were drafted in an effort to win through technological innovations. This seminar will allow participants to explore the rapid expansion of technology. Participants will work in groups to research and analyze primary, secondary, and tertiary sources on technological innovations and their influence on events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Space Race, the creation of ARPANET, and more. These groups will be allowed to select topics of interest, and they will create short documentaries that communicate the influence of technology during The Cold War and the continuing influence on the modern day. All of this will be shared with their classmates as a part of the final presentation.

Digital Dreams: My High-Tech Future

In this seminar, participants will dive into the exciting and complex world of technology, learning how to code interactive digital comic strips using JavaScript. They’ll explore key concepts such as event-driven programming, animations, and basic interactivity while envisioning a day in their future lives shaped by high-tech advancements. Participants might create ideas like a virtual assistant that predicts their needs, a futuristic wearable device, or an AI-powered kitchen that prepares meals on demand. By focusing on both the benefits and potential drawbacks of these innovations, participants will develop critical thinking skills about technology's impact on society. The added challenge lies in learning programming techniques like creating interactive buttons, loops, and conditionals to make their vision truly dynamic.

Meet the Session Four Instructors HERE!