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“The last two years we’ve really increased the size. Last year, we completely sold out with the new numbers,� said Director Hannah Nebeker. “Everything we do is (science, tech, engineering, arts, math-based) and interdisciplinary. The camp is very child-led. We definitely do a lot of community building activities, especially right away.�

Paper-making and theater

The camp runs for seven weeks and has different themes for each week, which are entirely new this year. Much of the curriculum and activities are written by Cascades Academy educators. Each week is $375 per camper, and includes supplies and materials. The camp offers financial aid, but it has been allocated for this year.

Earlier this summer, campers learned how to track animals and take care of the earth during a session that focused on wilderness exploration. Later in the summer, campers will create their own play scripts during a theater-focused week. The last week, the most popular, will center on activities at a magical school.

“It’s camp, not school, so we try to keep things easy-going and make sure the kids are having fun,� said Nebeker. “They really are taking away educational experiences from it.�

The camp has access to tools and supplies for various projects, including a planned paper-making activity for later in the summer. Campers will make journals to document their studies of trees and animals in nature. They will also make paper-mache puppets.

“Next week is titled Threads and Shreds, it’s about art and nature, but it’s also got an ecological aspect so we’re also going to focus on recycling things,� said Nebeker. “It’s gonna be a messy week with the paper-making and the papier-mâché, but I think it’s gonna be pretty cool.�

The camp’s staff are mainly either college students or recent graduates who grew up in Bend. Eligible campers are entering kindergarten through fifth grade in the fall. Middle schoolers are serving as counselors-in-training.

“It’s really inspiring for the kids and our counselors-in-training to see kids that are both getting their education or have already gotten it, and they’re applying it to working directly,� said Nebeker.

Robotics and 3D printers

For two weeks, Cascades Academy teacher Paul Snape runs a robotics and engineering camp for third-through-fifth graders alongside Camp Create.

Campers have the opportunity to create pins using a pressing machine and light boxes using markers and LED lights in different colors.

Xitlaly Diaz, 17, has been working with Snape for a few years to organize these science, tech, engineering and math camps for elementary school youth. She is on the Cascades Academy robotics team, Mystic Biscuit.

“I intended to make one of the weeks girls only, because I feel like women have less of a role in (science, tech, engineering and math) nowadays, and I feel like they should get more of an opportunity to do that,� she said.

Dealing with smoke and heat

Camp Create will take field trips to Tumalo State Park, a local alpaca farm and possibly Hollinshead Park. If the smoke rolls in, however, organizers limit the field trips.

The camp handled the heat last week by moving outside activities to the morning and adding more water activities. When the smoke hits, kids move inside as quickly as possible.

“We’re also really lucky that we have these spaces, like the gym and our main commons area,� said Nebeker. “If we can’t go outside to pretend like we’re getting on the train to magic school, we’ll probably turn the main commons into a train.�

Overall, Nebeker is happy to add to the collection of youth offerings in Central Oregon.

“I’ve been in Central Oregon for almost a decade, and I’ve been very aware of our lack of programming for children, for young children especially,� she said. “My hope is that maybe some of our numbers are a little bit lower this year because we have more programming, and it’s just great to be a part of that.�