Filter by Category
Portland / South Portland / Gorham / Westbrook /Berwick/Sanford
in By Region
Algae Camp
with Ike Levine
NEW for 2021! Our first biological science summer camp!
Come learn about algae and all of its many uses. This 4-day camp in July will include a field trip to the coast to collect algae samples and you'll be growing samples back in the camp lab. Algae can be used for human food, animal food, biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and hundreds of other uses. Come find out for yourself about this great part of our ecosystem.
Ages 12-16, at the time of camp
Limited to 12 campers
There are two full scholarships available for this camp (each worth $160) towards the Algae Camp, see the link below.
2021 Camps are being scheduled for in-person, but realize that will depend on what the CDC, the State of Maine, USM, and the condition of the pandemic at that time will be.
Additional Information:
Click here to apply for one of the Algae Camp Scholarships
Click here to see the 2021 Online Camp FAQ
Click here to see the 2021 ALGAE Camp FAQ
Click here to see the 2021 Camp and Forms Page
Build Your Own Computer - Portland (4-day)
with Tom Bickford
Have you ever wondered what all the parts of a desktop computer do? How a computer is put together, configured, and setup to run? This camp is for youth who want to build and test their own computer. We will be posting the specs of the computer by the end of May. We will be checking with prices this spring to maximize performance for your build (within our budget). Each camper will use surplus and new parts that will be provided in order to build a fully functional personal computer.
Included in the computer will be: Case and power supply; motherboard and CPU; CPU fan; 8 GB of RAM; keyboard and mouse; WiFi adapter; monitor; hard disc; DVD player; and the Linux operating system or a functional, but unlicensed Windows 10. These are solid desktop or mini-tower computers. If you are looking for a great gaming computer, these probably aren't them... but you'll learn what you can do to upgrade these or build a new one to meet your needs. Remember a really good gaming computer can cost over $2,000, so don't expect to get one at our camp. BUT, it will play most games in a reasonable frame rate and at a reasonable resolution, so don't despair. This program is an excellent opportunity for the youth to learn about computer architecture and to understand how all the different parts of a computer fit together, both physically and electronically. Each camper will get to take the computer home when they are finished!
Open to ages 12 to 16.
Additional Information:
Click here to see the 2021 Camp FAQ
Click here to see the Camp Policies and Forms
Click here to see the Shipping Options
LEGO Robotics, Mixed - Portland (4-day)
This camp is for any level of LEGO Roboteer! So if you are a rookie or a veteran this camp can take you and help move your skills forward. We start off with some basics since even the veterans have often forgotten a lot since last year, and of course some beginners are more advanced. Our camp staff try as quickly as possible to figure out which you are. Usually one staff member will be working primarily with the beginners and one primarily with the advanced, with the third floating as needed.
Open to ages 9 to 13, no experience needed.
2021 ALL CAMPS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR IN-PERSON WITH THE OPTION OF ONLINE ATTENDANCE. IF REQUIRED DUE TO STATE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE CAMP WILL BE ONLINE THIS SUMMER.
Click here to see the 2020 Online Camp FAQ
Click here to see the Camp and Privacy Policies
Programming in Minecraft - Gorham (4-day)
With over 110,000,000 monthly users, and over 200,000 servers running in the world (some 8,000 at any one time), Minecraft has become one of the world’s top games, and certainly the top creative game.
There are over hundreds of thousands of people playing Minecraft at any moment! You probably know lots of people who spend time creating houses, roads, towns, mines, as well as gather experience points by battling monsters (mobs). What if you could start learning how to change what you are doing, not just playing with what the game comes with?
In the Programming in Minecraft Camp we will be using the software to start learning how to modify the gaming environment. There will also be time to "just play the game", but the focus will be on learning new skills that relate to programming in the environment.
Depending on the instructor and the campers, we will also spend time with basic computer logic and an introduction to computer languages.
You do not need to have a Minecraft account, but you should bring your login information with you if you have an account so you can play as yourself.
Open to ages 10 to 14
2021 ALL CAMPS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR IN-PERSON WITH THE OPTION OF ONLINE ATTENDANCE. IF REQUIRED DUE TO STATE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE CAMP WILL BE ONLINE THIS SUMMER.
Click here to see the 2021 Online Camp FAQ
Click here to see the 2021 Camp Policy and Form Pages
Click here to see the 2021 Shipping Options
Build Your Own Computer - Portland
with Tom Bickford
Have you ever wondered what all the parts of a desktop computer do? How a computer is put together, configured, and setup to run? This camp is for youth who want to build and test their own computer. We will be posting the specs of the computer by the end of May. We will be checking with prices this spring to maximize performance for your build (within our budget). Each camper will use surplus and new parts that will be provided in order to build a fully functional personal computer.
Included in the computer will be: Case and power supply; motherboard and CPU; CPU fan; 8 GB of RAM; keyboard and mouse; WiFi adapter; monitor; hard disc; DVD player; and the Linux operating system or a functional, but unlicensed Windows 10. These are solid desktop or mini-tower computers. If you are looking for a great gaming computer, these probably aren't them... but you'll learn what you can do to upgrade these or build a new one to meet your needs. Remember a really good gaming computer can cost over $2,000, so don't expect to get one at our camp. BUT, it will play most games in a reasonable frame rate and at a reasonable resolution, so don't despair. This program is an excellent opportunity for the youth to learn about computer architecture and to understand how all the different parts of a computer fit together, both physically and electronically. Each camper will get to take the computer home when they are finished!
Open to ages 12 to 16.
Additional Information:
Click here to see the 2021 Online Camp FAQ
Click here to see the Camp Policies and Forms
Click here to see the Shipping Options
CubeSat Camp
with Asheesh Lanba
Campers will use programmable sensor packages and 3D printed cases to build their own CubeSat modules. CubeSats are designed to be nanosatellites and while ours won't be going into space, they are very similar in design as the 1200 CubeSats that have gone into space so far.
Each CubeSat is 10cm x 10cm x 10cm and contains a sensor pack, a controller, a power supply, and a data storage unit. Each camper will be able to design a sensor mission for their CubeSat and we will be bench testing them and then at the end of the week, weather allowing, the campers will go to a nearby airfield and their CubeSats will be taken up to a high altitude (14,000 feet) and the CubeSats will collect data that the students will then be able to analyze when the CubeSats are returned to Earth.
Campers will be able to keep their CubeSats at the end of the camp and the programming language is free so they will be able to continue using it and reprogramming it on their own.
This program will be running on the Portland campus of USM, but students can attend virtually. We will just need to collect the CubeSats from campers so they can be launched to height for their mission.
If weather is bad during the camp week, a rescheduled launch will be performed and campers will be able to come out to the launch field and do the launch at that time.
Ages: 13-17
Campers will need to bring their own lunch, but snacks are provided.
This camp includes a field trip, weather permitting, to the Skydive New England Airport in Lebanon, Maine.
2021 ALL CAMPS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR IN-PERSON WITH THE OPTION OF ONLINE ATTENDANCE. IF REQUIRED DUE TO STATE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE CAMP WILL BE ONLINE THIS SUMMER.
Click here to see the 2021 Camp FAQ
Click here to see the 2021 Camp Policy and Form Pages
Click here to see the 2021 Shipping Options
BLUE WHALE
LEGO Robotics, Mixed - Portland
This camp is for any level of LEGO Roboteer! So if you are a rookie or a veteran this camp can take you and help move your skills forward. We start off with some basics since even the veterans have often forgotten a lot since last year, and of course some beginners are more advanced. Our camp staff try as quickly as possible to figure out which you are. Usually one staff member will be working primarily with the beginners and one primarily with the advanced, with the third floating as needed.
Open to ages 9 to 13, no experience needed.
2021 ALL CAMPS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR IN-PERSON WITH THE OPTION OF ONLINE ATTENDANCE. IF REQUIRED DUE TO STATE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE CAMP WILL BE ONLINE THIS SUMMER.
Click here to see the 2021 Online Camp FAQ
Click here to see the Camp Policy and Form Pages
Click here to see Shipping Information
Programming in Minecraft - Gorham
With over 110,000,000 monthly users, and over 200,000 servers running in the world (some 8,000 at any one time), Minecraft has become one of the world’s top games, and certainly the top creative game.
There are over hundreds of thousands of people playing Minecraft at any moment! You probably know lots of people who spend time creating houses, roads, towns, mines, as well as gather experience points by battling monsters (mobs). What if you could start learning how to change what you are doing, not just playing with what the game comes with?
In the Programming in Minecraft Camp we will be using the software to start learning how to modify the gaming environment. There will also be time to "just play the game", but the focus will be on learning new skills that relate to programming in the environment.
Depending on the instructor and the campers, we will also spend time with basic computer logic and an introduction to computer languages.
You do not need to have a Minecraft account, but you should bring your login information with you if you have an account so you can play as yourself.
Open to ages 10 to 14
2021 ALL CAMPS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR IN-PERSON WITH THE OPTION OF ONLINE ATTENDANCE. IF REQUIRED DUE TO STATE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE CAMP WILL BE ONLINE THIS SUMMER.
Click here to see the 2021 Online Camp FAQ
Click here to see the 2021 Camp Policy and Form Pages
Click here to see the 2021 Shipping Options