Park Summer Camps

SUMMER STUDY AT PENN STATE is a 6.5-week, COLLEGE CREDIT program for qualified 10th, 11th or 12th grade students at the University Park campus of Penn State University, one of America's leading universities. Students earn 3 credits while enrolled in an actual college course taught by distinguished Penn State faculty. Courses include Sociology, History, Biology, Music, Astronomy, Literature, English, Human Development and Family Studies, Art, Psychology, Languages, Theater, Communications and more. In addition to their college course, students choose at least one non-credit enrichment class to round out their academic programming. These "high interest & low pressure" classes include Journalism, Creative Writing, a Community Service program, the nationally renowned Kaplan SAT Preparation course, Calculus, Speed Reading, Engineering, Architecture, Law, ESL, Theater, Music, Art, Medicine, Business and other exciting offerings.

SUMMER ENRICHMENT AT PENN STATE is a 6-week,3.5-week or 2-week NON-CREDIT program for qualified 9th, 10th or 11th grade students. Students select challenging, yet fun classes from a variety of subjects taught by Summer Enrichment instructors. Classes include Creative Writing, Speed Reading, Expository Writing, Theater, Art, Introduction to Law, Photography, Computers, Architecture, Music, Kaplan SAT Preparation course, Community Service, Internships and much more.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ENRICHMENT AT PENN STATE is a 2-week or 4-week program for quailfied 8th grade students. Students will select from a variety of fun and academically enriching classes such as computers, public speaking, chess, theater, writing classes and more.

In all programs, students have full use of the extensive sports and recreational facilities of this "Big Ten" campus, including 2 golf courses, 48 tennis courts, a 72 acre lake, 2 indoor ice skating rinks, 36 racquetball/squash courts, 4 indoor & outdoor pools, basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball and lacrosse facilities. Private tennis and golf instruction is also available as are clinics in basketball, soccer and volleyball. In addition to sports, daily afternoon activities also include Tie-Dying, Jewelry-making, an A Capella singing group, Dance workshop, Rock Band, Poets' Corner and more. Fun-filled evenings include shows, concerts, dance clubs, ice-skating, movies, broomball, bowling, skit night and other great activities.

To further assist in college selection, SUMMER STUDY students have THREE TRAVEL WEEKENDS visiting nearby colleges and universities including Cornell, Syracuse, Ithaca, George Washington, Johns Hopkins, Bucknell and University of Maryland. SUMMER ENRICHMENT students have one weekend away and select either the Upstate NY or Washington DC area trip. 2-week and MIDDLE SCHOOL ENRICHMENT students will take a full day/night trip to nearby Hershey Park. OUR EXCLUSIVE CONCEPT of weekend travel is included in the program fee and completes "THE TOTAL PRE-COLLEGIATE EXPERIENCE" at PSU.

The College of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State University is giving middle school girls the opportunity to learn more about technology through creating an avatar, a video game or telling an animated story through images during a free, weeklong camp this summer.

Tech Savvy Camp for Girls will be held June 13-17, 2011 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in rooms 110, 206 and 208 IST Building at the Penn State University Park campus. The camp is open to girls entering grades six through eight who live in central Pennsylvania and surrounding areas.

Applications are available and will be accepted until April 1, 2011 however, sooner is better. For more information call, 814-863-7548.

Science - U camps are designed for students who will be entering grades 2-12 in the fall of 2010. A summer of discovery, experimentation, and opportunity awaits your child.
Science – U is offering 13 different camps for the summer of 2010, including 6 new ones.

“Catch the Wave: Adventures in Sounds and Light” for campers entering grades 2-3 will bring the science behind sound and light out of the shadows.

"The Microbial Menace: Food Science Camp” students will learn how microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa can be both beneficial as well as deadly killers.

“Gee Wizards Science” is for students entering grades 2-4. Campers will work in small and large groups to unlock the secrets and magic of science while learning about inquiry and the scientific method.

*New* "Marvelous Molecule Mysteries" for students entering grades 2-3 will allow camper to unravel the basic chemical principals that surround us in our homes, at school, and even in the human body.

*New* In "Astronomy Camp: Deep Space '10", future scientists in grades 5-8 will learn about black holes, telescopes, and much more. Sign up and begin to unlock the secrets of the universe.

“Crime Scene Investigators: The Case of the Cantankerous Chemist” allows students entering grades 4-8 become members of an investigative team that will learn how to collect evidence, map the crime scene, and conduct experiments to solve the crime.

*New* "Ecology Camp: The Wild Wonders of Your Own Backyard" gives students entering grades 4-6 a chance to travel to different parks and locations around Centre County exploring and learning about theuniq7ue ecosystems, flora, and fauna of our region.

*New* "Robots, Rockets, Race Cars!" for students entering grades 9-12 gives campers the opportunity to uncover the reality behind robots, rocketry, and race car intelligence.

“Stock Market Madness” lets students entering grades 10-12 discover the excitement of the stock market from Penn State’s own state-of-the-art trading room in the Smeal College of Business.

“Busted! Myth Meets Science” presents students entering grades 5-8 the ultimate opportunity to be fearless, design experiments, ask questions, and disprove (or prove!) misconceptions and myths about science!

*New* In "Advanced CSI Forensics: The Case of the Cantankerous Chemist," students in 9-12 can tackle solving the case at a deeper level, using more advanced techniques of forensic science.

“Science – U Leadership Academy” is dedicated to developing leadership qualities in young scientists in an intensive, project-oriented environment. This camp is offered to students entering grades 10-12.



Established in 1999 and formerly known as Action Potential Science Experience (APSE), Science - U offers hands-on, exciting, and age-appropriate science camps for both residential and day campers. Penn State faculty members work in collaboration with the Science - U staff to design curriculum for our first-rate camps and, together with local area teachers and graduate students, provide youth with a thrilling chance to experience the wonders of science!