Summer Camp 2024 registration is open
Link Summer STEM Exploration information
Camp descriptions, dates, and paper forms
Camps for students who will be entering grades 2 – 12 for the 2024 – 2025 school year
For the 32nd summer, the Kopernik Observatory & Science Center in Vestal, NY is offering weeklong camps for students entering grades 2-12 for the 2024/25 school year. Sponsored by the Link Foundation, in memory of inventor/explorer Edwin A. Link, the Link Summer STEM Exploration camps offer hands-on, high-tech adventures in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in a fun and nurturing environment. Camps run Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Early drop-off and late pick-up options are available.
The Kopernik Observatory & Science Center is a great place for students to explore the world around them. Students will have their eyes opened and may get their hands wet and feet muddy as they spend time outdoors each day for field exploration and playtime. They will make friends and lasting memories, too!
Camps have a maximum enrollment and many fill quickly each year. Register early to avoid disappointment.
Early drop off (8 am) and late pick up (4 pm) are available for $15/day.
Early Bird Tuition cost is good through May 31. Add $20 when registering after May 31. Refunds are available (less a $15 administration fee) if a student withdraws 14 days prior to the start of camp. In case of cancellation due to insufficient enrollment, participants will be notified one week in advance and will receive a full refund.
Camps for students entering grades 2 – 5 in September
Super Science Discoveries (STEM, students entering grades 2 &3)
July 22 – 26 (session A – 1 spot left), August 5 – 9 (session B – 6 spots left)
In this introductory camp, children will learn about the habits of a scientist and about different fields of science through a variety of activities! Each day has a different theme. Budding physicists will explore the properties of matter and explore the chemistry of bubbles and slime. Engineers of tomorrow will learn the basics of electrical energy by building electronic circuits and seeing how sunlight can be turned into electrical energy. Young biologists will explore the surrounding flora and fauna as they hike Kopernik’s nature trail. Youthful astronomers will learn to focus and use a telescope as they look at nearby terrestrial objects. On Edwin Link Flight Day, the students will explore the concepts of thrust, drag, pitch and yaw, as well as gravity and friction. They will build and fly paper airplanes and air rockets.
Secrets of Code! (Engineering, students entering grades 3 & 4)
July 8 – 12 (session A – SESSION is FULL), July 29 – August 2 (session B – 5 spots left)
During this camp, the students become KSAs (Kopernik Secret Agents) and will discover the world of codes, old and new. KSAs will each receive a TOP SECRET folder filled with a variety of codes and activities. They will have fun using them to decipher messages and solve mysteries. KSAs will learn about Samuel Morse and his invention of the Morse code. They will learn about and practice with Braille and American Sign Language, codes for the blind and deaf. As KSAs discover ways in which we all use code in our daily lives through a variety of activities and guest speakers, they will also learn how computers use binary code to communicate with scientists. They will learn about Grace Hopper and her invention of COBOL computer language. Students will acquire coding vocabulary and apply it as they create their own programming board games and also write computer programs that will activate robotic LEGO projects.
Space and Stars (Astronomy, students entering grades 4 & 5)
June 24 – 28 (session A – SESSION is FULL), July 15 – 19 (session B – 7 spots left)
In Space & Stars, students will explore what lies beyond our Solar System, including blue, red giant, and sun-like stars, supernovas, constellations, galaxies, and nebulas. Students will learn how to use telescopes and how to observe the Sun safely. They will explore black holes with Kopernik’s Spandex Universe. Activities will include making star wheels, modeling the Milky Way Galaxy, and building NASA Spacecraft models. Students will also spend time in Kopernik’s inflatable portable planetarium to explore the known universe. The students will be introduced to the planetarium simulator software Stellarium (which they can download for free at home).
What’s In Your Backyard? Become A Nature Scientist! (Life Science, students entering grades 4 & 5)
August 12 – 16 (4 spots left)
What is Biodiversity? How many different species of plants and animals live in our area? Why is it important to care for them? Students in this camp will be introduced to biomes, particularly the deciduous forest, where we live. As they take nature walks around the Kopernik Observatory and Science Center and explore the pond in the new Kopernik Science Park, these young scientists will observe and collect (or photograph) different plants, animals, and insects. They will do research to identify what they find. Microscopes and other scientific tools will be used to examine collected specimens. Each student will enjoy creating their own bio-dome (mini-ecosystem) consisting of real plants. Participants in this camp will also become temporary stewards of the Kopernik Pollinator Garden and will help weed, mulch, and maintain the area for the birds, bees, and butterflies.
Click here to register online
If you prefer to register using a paper form, you can download it here.
For paper registrations, please download also the Student Information Form here, fill it out, and mail it to us along with the registration form.
Camps for students entering grades 6 – 12 in September
Welcome Aboard the International Space Station (STEM, students entering grades 5 & 6)
July 29 – August 2 (1 spot left)
What is it like to become an astronaut and work on the ISS? What training is required to work out of this world? Students will spend the week exploring what Astronauts do in this orbiting laboratory and learn about the science and engineering research on the ISS. This week of exploration and engineering includes training in radio transmission and reception of voice, data, and images. The students will learn radio language protocols and how to track and map satellites which will be useful as students will speak live, by Ham Radio, with an astronaut currently aboard the ISS. Tuition includes $25 materials fee.
Virtual Universe (Engineering, students entering grades 6-8)
June 24 – 28 (Session A – SESSION is FULL) July 22 – 26 (Session B – SESSION is FULL)
Students will take their first steps into a larger, virtual world where anything is possible! They will learn about the past, present, and future of augmented and virtual reality (AR & VR) while discovering how the technologies work. Students will receive a VR headset which they can decorate and make their own. Using an AR/VR creation tool, campers will design a virtual environment that they can explore up close using a Kopernik iPad (AR) or their VR headset. Altogether, they will gain programming and 3-D modeling experience as they build this virtual world—one limited only by what can be imagined! Each day of camp will also offer the chance to test out a state-of-the-art AR or VR experience including a flight aboard the ISS and even a trip to the Moon! Tuition includes a $20 materials fee.
Rocket Design (Engineering, students entering grades 6-8)
July 8 – 12 (1 spot left)
This camp is an introductory exploration of rocket science. Students will start by learning about the history of the space program, from the earliest rockets to the latest missions. Students will study the principles of rocket science and how private companies like SpaceX and Boeing are advancing the field. Then students will construct their own simple, single-stage rockets. As the week progresses, they will be equipped to build more complex designs with multi-stage engines, special recovery systems, and more. Rockets will be tested for flight-worthiness before launch!
Tuition includes a $25 materials fee.
Creative Construction (Engineering, students entering grades 6 -8)
August 5 – 9 (SESSION is FULL)
In this camp, students will exercise their creativity and explore engineering as they learn how to design and build a variety of things including model buildings, weight-bearing structures, and powered vehicles. Students will start by learning how to read a blueprint and then construct a 3-D scale model of a structure of their choice. Next, they will learn about designing structures that have to carry loads and construct a bridge from wooden craft sticks that will compete in a competition to see which design carries the most weight. They will also learn about energy conversion and build a powered vehicle of their own design. Finally, students will be introduced to additive manufacturing and how 3-D printing can be used at a large-scale. This will be a great opportunity to test out the design process and turn ideas into reality. Tuition includes a $20 materials fee.
Return to the Edge of Space (STEM, students entering grades 8-12)
August 12 – 16 (SESSION is FULL)
For six of the past seven summers, Kopernik students have designed, built, launched, and recovered a weather balloon that reached altitudes of over 100,000 feet (nearly 20 miles). In the videos they recovered, they saw the sky turn black and water boil at temperatures below freezing in the near-vacuum conditions of maximum altitude. This summer, students will have the opportunity to build on the experience of previous camp years and add new experiments using Raspberry Pi computers and GoPro video cameras. The payload will include a slow scan TV experiment to transmit pictures back to Earth during the flight. Students will track the balloon’s flight path in real-time, using a beacon equipped with a GPS receiver. When they retrieve the payload the students will analyze the data and video and compare it to what was predicted.
Click here to register online
If you prefer to register using a paper form, you can download it here.
For paper registrations, please download also the Student Information Form here, fill it out, and mail it to us along with the registration form.
Financial Assistance (FA) is available for qualifying families. Download the FA form here.