- Outdoor skills training.
- Wilderness First Aid certification.
- Science communication training.
- Organization and logistics management.
-
Introduction
This camp program emphasizes developing leadership, organization, and communication skills. Students will be trained in organizing and managing groups of students in field settings.
We use a combination of discussion and practical, scenario-based training to build knowledge, skills, and confidence over this six day program. Students are also trained in strategies and techniques for teaching science in the field, leading discussion groups, addressing student questions, and field crisis management.
We treat this camp as a training program for potential future camps counselors and teaching assistants. We present knowledge, content, and skills we look for in students who have advanced to staff positions within our camps program. This training takes place here in western Kansas, visiting paleontological as well as wildlife-centric field sites as backdrops for our training lessons and activities.
-
Program Cost
Tuition is $630 per member, and $700 per non-member.
Q: What if my student is not accepted into the camp they applied for? Do you refund tuition?
A: 100% of paid tuition is refunded to any students not accepted to a camp they applied for. We encourage students not accepted to a program to apply again the following year. Many of our programs are competitive, with more applicants than space available. Unfortunately, this means that some years we won’t be able to admit 100% of applicants to any particular program.
Q: What is your cancellation and refund policy?
A: Our refund policy for cancellations is dependent on which kind of camp you are signed up for (domestic or international), and when the cancellation is received.
Refund policies Domestic Programs:
For programs taking place within the United States, cancellations must be submitted in writing, via email or typed letter. Each camp registration is held to a 20-percent cancellation fee. If you cancel 30 to 10 days prior to the start of a program, half of the total fee is refundable. If you cancel 9 or fewer days prior to the start of the program, no amount of the fee is refundable. Registration fees are non-transferable between applicants.International Programs:
Cancellations and withdrawals must be submitted in writing, via email or typed letter. Up to the registration deadline of May 1st, 2018, the program fee is fully refundable. After May 1st, the registration fee is only 50% refundable, as we will have already provided payments for airfares, accommodations, and guide services.For answers to more possible questions, see our Frequently Asked Questions page!
-
Contact Us
For questions about the Sternberg Science Camps programs, contact Education Director David Levering at DALevering@FHSU.edu, or 785-639-5249.
-
Application Requirements
-
Additional Information and Logistics
-
Hiking
In order to stay safe and healthy during field work, students will receive instruction on loading and fitting a backpack, optimal attire, hydration, footwear, self-awareness and group safety. Awareness and proper planning for weather and temperature conditions is extremely important for extended treks in the outdoors. Preparation is key, and we will make sure your student has the information to be prepared.
-
Leadership Skills
Taking initiative, staying organized, and effectively communicating are all important skills for working with a team in the field. Over the course of the program, students are coached on developing these areas. With guided opportunities to lead portions of field work, students are encouraged to develop their voices, organize team efforts, and build confidence in their abilities.
-
Field Safety
From staying hydrated to dealing with bad weather, students are introduced to the hazards of field work and how to effectively, safely deal with them. Staff provide lessons on safety through discussion, making sure students have a clear understanding of problems that can arise and how to effectively avoid them, or mitigate their effects afterwards.
-
Teaching
Students will be introduced to delivering educational content in a field setting to their peers. At the core of our teaching curriculum is practice, practice, practice! Examples of content delivery will be followed by explanations and breakdowns of techniques used to communicate with your audience. Students will also practice effectively simplifying complex information for non-scientist audiences, and strategies for engaging with an audience. For any student going into the sciences, strong communication skills are very important. Our goal is to build a foundation for students to build on as they continue to gain experience and further their education.
-
Camping
Knowing some basics of camping is essential to field work. Field paleontology is often done in remote or semi-remote locations, making camping skills necessary to being able to do field work at all!Training includes:
– Putting up tents
– Camp cooking
– Setting up and breaking down camp
– Leave No Trace strategies
– Efficiently loading and unloading field vehicles
– Environmental injury and illness mitigation
– Building and safely managing a campfire -
Wilderness First Aid
Working with the outdoor medicine organization SOLO, students in this program will have the opportunity to earn a Wilderness First Aid certification. From the SOLO website: “Accidents happen. People get hurt, sick, or lost. The temperature drops, the wind picks up, and it starts to rain. Would you know what to do? Many backcountry emergencies are preventable, and even when bad things happen, sometimes the wrong care can make things worse. By learning a few basic skills, you can make the difference between a good outcome and a bad one-and maybe even save a life.”
-
Maps and Navigation
Smartphones and GPS units can lose their signals, and have batteries that die. It is important for students learning to do field work to understand how to read and orient a map. Students are trained in use of aerial photos and compasses to navigate field areas and locate established field sites using cardinal directions and landmarks.
Other 2018 high school camps!
