2025 Courses
1. Acting – Julie Roberts Boggess
Learn various acting techniques, from method acting to improvisation. Free your creativity
and become more comfortable in front of an audience. Learn to break down a script
and prepare a monologue. Through imagination, improvisation, vocalization, and movement
activities, you will have fun and become prepared for the stage.
2. Actually, It IS Rocket Science! – Ecil Miller
This course explores the fascinating world of aerodynamics through three key topics:
rocketry, the Magnus effect, and parachute systems. You will develop a comprehensive
understanding of the forces at play in the design and performance of rocket-powered
vehicles, the unique role of rotating bodies in altering airflow, and the principles
behind effective parachute deployment and design.
3. Ages Through Art – Melody Haase
Have you ever wondered why Pollack's paintings look like a colorful paintball explosion?
Or why Picasso's paintings look like x-rays? How about the hidden meaning of keys
in a Renaissance painting? In this class, we'll discover the amazing styles and secrets
of the Renaissance, Impressionism, Cubism, and Modern Art movements. Get ready to
discover the secrets and create your very own masterpieces! Unleash your creativity
and have fun with art!
4. "America the Beautiful" – Why It Truly Is! – Bethany Spencer
Explore the majesty, grandeur, and diversity of America with a focus on our National
Parks, forests, lakeshores, riverways, coastlines, and scenic byways. Discover places
you never knew you wanted to visit! Become a travel planner, mapping out a future
journey (or journeys!) for yourself by delving into videos, slide shows, photographs,
scrapbooks, photo and art books, atlases and maps, brochures and postcards, and National
Parks magazines. Discover why America used to be called the "Great Melting Pot" and
why now it's more like a tossed salad!! Finally, learn why you never really have
to leave America's shores to have the most spectacular travel experiences you can
imagine.
5. Bucket Drumming – Felicia Shepherd
If you love making music with others and performing, this class is for you! We will
learn the basics of how to read music and build rhythms (beginners welcome!), as well
as explore different drumming styles and grooves. We will use buckets, trash cans,
or even chairs to make music - think STOMP! As a group, you will perform both during
class and for all the campers at the end of SCATS!
6. Clowning – Nick Wilkins (“Broadway the Clown”)
Study the art of clowning with an emphasis on clown history, clown skills, and the
different types of clowns. Learn about clown makeup application, costuming, improvisations,
gags, slapstick comedy, stilt walking, unicycle riding, balancing, prop building,
juggling, magic, and balloon sculpture – all from a Ringling Brothers-trained clown.
7. Crime Scene Investigation – Angela Hill
Get ready to step into the shoes of a real crime scene investigator! Over the next
few weeks, we'll uncover the secrets hidden in fingerprints, footprints, DNA, and
more, using scientific techniques to crack the case. From analyzing a messy crime
scene to piecing together the evidence, you'll learn how patterns and clues can reveal
the truth. Prepare to sharpen your observation skills and think like a detective as
we solve a final crime!
8. Discover Russian – Ekaterina Myakshina
Do you love adventure and discovering new things? Then get ready for a fun virtual
trip across Russia! You’ll learn the basics of the Russian language and explore incredible
natural sights in the world’s largest country. Hop on a virtual train from Moscow
to Vladivostok, and along the way, discover cool towns, tasty food, and people. Join
us for an exciting journey filled with language, culture, and fairy tales!
9. Disease Detectives: An Introduction to Epidemiology – Ecil Miller
Become a disease detective! In this minds-on, hands-on class, students will explore
how illnesses spread, investigate real-world outbreaks, and learn how scientists track
and stop diseases. Through simulations, lab experiments, and team challenges, you'll
learn to think like an epidemiologist and help solve public health mysteries.
10. Double Threat: Writing and Performing Original Monologues – Julie Roberts Boggess
If you are a writer and a performer, this is a class for you! Throughout the two weeks,
you will create two original monologues: one comedic and one dramatic. You will work
on improving your performance skills and feeling more comfortable in front of the
camera. This class is perfect for any skill level and is sure to help you grow as
a writer/actor.
11. Eco Explorers: Protect. Explore. Act. – Rachel Johnson
Get ready to explore how changes in the environment shape the survival and success
of living things! Through outdoor investigations, creative challenges, and real-world
action projects, you'll uncover the ways ecosystems respond to change — and how your
actions can make a real difference.
12. Exploring Order Through Dystopian and Sci-Fi Short Stories – Nona Croom
Let's explore the ideas influencing authors when writing dystopian science fiction
together, studying authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Carrie Vaughn, and Ray Bradbury!
We will analyze character and plot development and explore how societies respond to
rigid systems of order. Through discussions, research, and engaging activities, we
will explore questions such as who decided what order should look like, and what happens
when it is taken too far? You will have a chance to take over the world with your
own dystopian short story.
13. The Legacy of Ancient Greece – Brooke Morgan
Explore the fascinating world of ancient Greece and its mythology! In this engaging
and interactive summer camp class, students will embark on a journey through the rich
tapestry of ancient Greek culture and mythology and discover how it continues to shape
the world we live in today. Through a blend of storytelling, discussions, and creative
activities, students will gain a deeper understanding of the patterns throughout mythology
and the profound impact that ancient Greece has had on various aspects of modern society.
14. Math in Game Shows – Nick Skaggs
Game shows have become a staple of American television and entertainment. Contestants
have been making deals – and sometimes saying "No Deal" – to try and win money and
prizes for decades. This class will explore the math behind some of our favorite game
shows to discuss strategies and advantages. If this class sounds interesting to you
then come on down, because you could be the next contestant for this class.
15. Nature's Shifting Story: Discovering Scientific Change – Amber Weinberg
Have you ever wondered how mountains form, why animals adapt, or what causes a chemical
reaction? In this class, we’ll explore how scientific processes like erosion, evolution,
and energy transformations constantly shape our world. From shifting continents to
adapting species, you’ll discover how change is a powerful force in nature. Get ready to investigate, experiment, and uncover
the science behind the natural changes all around us!
16. Nazi Germany & The Holocaust – Ron Skillern
The Holocaust, the persecution and murder of six million European Jews and millions
of other victims during World War II, was a horrific event in history, and its causes
and consequences remain relevant today. Through critical reading, research, and discussion,
you will examine the implications of the Holocaust in your life. We will explore the
nature of indifference, racism, and genocide as well as our roles as citizens of a
democracy. The course will include an introduction to the Holocaust, Nazi propaganda,
antisemitism, and documentation of victims
17. Patterns in the Real World – Kennedy Smith
Have you ever wanted to explore real-world data and patterns? This course is for you!
You’ll work with your classmates to look at different types of data, figure out what
it means, and connect it to real-world problems. At the end of the course, you’ll
create a project to show how data can be used to solve problems or make a difference.
Along the way, you’ll practice working as a team, sharing your ideas, and thinking
about how what you’ve learned can help your community.
18. The Power of Pop Culture – Avery Wilmurth
Ever wonder how your favorite music stars, TikTok creators, or social media influencers
seem to take over the world? In this class, we’ll dive into the power of pop culture—from
viral dance trends to powerful social campaigns. We’ll explore how celebrities use
their fame to shape opinions, set trends, and even kick off social movements. By looking
at who has the power (and how they got it), you’ll see how pop culture goes beyond
entertainment—it’s shaping the world we live in.
19. Problem Solving – Nick Skaggs
Have you ever wondered how you can attack big issues (identity theft, rising sea levels,
environmental impact)? Do you think that you are too small and these problems cannot
be solved by you? This class will show how anyone can think about large issues that
affect us all and take one step at a time to solve these problems. We will dive into
ways to think creatively and how to approach reasonable solutions that can be applied
to real-world scenarios.
20. "Sound" Decisions – Matthew Nelson
Every instrument began somewhere, sometimes as an artistic experiment, sometimes as
a mistake, and sometimes built to create a specific sound. Throughout time, from the
lyre to the synthesizer, sounds change. Music changes. Are you ready to discover how
shape, materials, and craftsmanship affect sound? This might be your chance to design
the next “big” noise. In this course, you will explore the differences of many instruments,
use tools to measure changes in sound, and design instrument prototypes of your own.
21. The Surprising Chemistry of Change: Fun with Reactions! – Chrissy Bramer
Dissolve mercury dimes in acid to determine the amount of silver in them, investigate
colligative properties by making ice cream, turn milk into a bioplastic, and make
rockets using rubbing alcohol to explore combustion reactions. This class will teach
the basics of chemistry and apply knowledge with memorable experiments.
23. Why Things Change and How We Grow – Brittany King
Have you ever wondered why everything keeps changing—your friendships, your interests,
even how you see the world? In this class, we’ll explore the idea of change through
big questions and bold thinkers like Alan Watts, who says change is part of being
alive; Sam Harris, who challenges how much control we really have; Jordan Peterson,
who believes change helps us grow up strong; and Ben Shapiro, who says facts and logic
should guide how we deal with it. Through stories, games, creative projects, and lively
debates, you’ll explore how change shows up in your own life—like starting a new grade,
making tough choices, or becoming more independent. You’ll learn how to face life’s
twists and turns with curiosity, confidence, and a sharp mind. If you like asking
deep questions (or just arguing for fun), this class is for you.
24. Voices of Change: Community Building Rhetoric – Kaylee Moore
Are you passionate about making a positive difference in your community? In this class, we
will explore how individuals from the past and present have used their voices to promote
issues that are important to them, to strengthen and promote change in their communities.
We will study the art of rhetoric: analyzing persuasive arguments that effectively
reach the target audience. By the end of this course, you will begin to exercise your
own voice to promote the issues you care about in your community.