The Wise STEAM Academy (indoor camp!) Description:
Wise Camps has a reputation for being the best camps around because of our ability to balance a rich academic curriculum with plenty of fun! Our teachers love kids and enjoy the freedom of being able to teach what they are passionate about, whether that be chemistry, math, cooking, art, medicine, engineering, programming, creative writing, finance…and the list goes on!
By signing your child/children up for The Wise STEAM Academy, you are guaranteeing your spot(s) in our 1 week indoor camp. Your camper(s) will be grouped based on their interests in the topics we are offering, their maturity level, and their ability level. Campers will rotate through three sessions in the morning, be provided lunch and have outdoor play time (there will be carnival games!), and then rotate through three sessions in the afternoon. All classrooms will have an academic and hands-on focus in addition to growing our campers’ love of learning! Before care (7:30-8:30 a.m.) and after care (3:30-5:00 p.m.) are also options for an additional charge.
A Wise Adventure (Outdoor camp!) Description:
We are thrilled to offer an exciting week filled with fun hands-on activities at 6 different stations! At each stop, students will learn from a teacher who is passionate about that subject! The station themes are Chemistry, Math Games, Art, Medicine, Dazzling Demos (STEM demos sure to excite!!) and Engineering. Each stop will be a fun activity for kids to reignite their love of learning. After their first 3 stations, campers will have a break for lunch (please send a bag lunch with your camper each day!) and outdoor play (with carnival games!) from 11:30-12:30 each day.
About Us:
As a high school chemistry teacher, Melissa noticed many of her students were coming to her class with the idea that chemistry was going to be terrible and boring. She also noticed that the science budget at most high schools could use some help and personally knew many teachers who were purchasing things out of their own pockets. She decided to start a chemistry summer camp for middle school students called “Chemistry is a Blast!” where she would have a challenging academic curriculum while also lighting every camper’s hands on fire, doing color-changing reactions to music, tie-dying t-shirts to learn about the chemistry of bonding, etc.! Melissa donated proceeds to local high school science departments and hoped these campers would now look forward to high school chemistry vs. dreading it. Years later, some of her campers ended up in her high school classroom and they were VERY excited! Each year, her chemistry camps grew more popular and both parents and campers were asking for MORE of this style of summer learning and engagement. She asked Jake Nonis, a rock star math teacher and theater director she enjoyed working with, to partner with her to start expanding summer camps with a new name: Wise Camps. Each year the camps have grown in popularity and the staff of talented and passionate teachers and volunteers have become a family. There are many stories of campers who eventually became Wise volunteers and are even now Wise teachers! There are also many stories of Wise campers who cite Wise as their inspiration to go into the field they are currently studying.
While Jake and Melissa each have young children of their own and have found themselves working harder than ever for Wise Camps to continue to provide a safe and fun learning experience during the pandemic, they are inspired by the difference this work makes in so many lives. It is the excited voices of the campers and the rave reviews from parents that keeps driving them to offer the best summer camp experience possible–the kind of experience they want for their own children!
Refund Policy
If your camper is unable to attend and you have emailed [email protected] at least 42 days prior to the start of your camp, you will be issued a full refund (less the PayPal fees). If your camper is unable to attend and you have emailed [email protected] between 41 and 21 days prior to the start of your camp, you will be issued a 50% refund (less the PayPal fees). No refunds will be given when you notify us within 20 days of the start of your camp. *Please note that all refunds due to discounts, promotions, or cancellations must be processed manually and take up to 5 business days to complete. *If Wise Camps cancels camps, then registrations will be needed in full (less the PayPal fees) or carried forward for future camps. *The Wise STEAM Academy may be converted to an outdoor camp if an indoor space cannot be secured. If this happens, families will be offered a full refund or a refund of $49 as this is the price difference between the indoor and outdoor experience. Any non-refunded part of your registration may be applied to any future Wise Camps offers.
Weather/Outdoor Policy
There are extra safety concerns to take into account when holding camp outdoors. Weather is unpredictable in the Seattle area. Our intent is to run camp rain or shine if it is safe. In some cases the air quality will not be safe for our camp to operate outdoors. In some cases the temperature may be too hot (92 degrees or above) for our camp to operate outdoors. We will use the EPA Air quality app to determine the safety of our staff and campers. If it is deemed unsafe we will notify all families as soon as we know and cancel camp. In this case, the Saturday following a week of camp will be offered as a make-up camp day. Any days that cannot be safely made up will not be refunded. However, any non-refunded part of your registration may be applied to any future Wise Camps offers.
Student Input
After submitting and paying for your registration, you will receive an email with all of your registration details. The email will also include a link to a short interest survey for your camper to complete so we can personalize their summer experience at Wise!
Flyers:
