2026 Courses
1. Acting – Julie Roberts Boggess
Learn various acting techniques, from method acting to improvisation. Free your creativity
and become more comfortable in front of an audience. Learn to break down a script
and prepare a monologue. Through imagination, improvisation, vocalization, and movement
activities, you will have fun and become prepared for the stage.
2. Actually, It IS Rocket Science! – Ecil Miller
This course explores the fascinating world of aerodynamics through three key topics:
rocketry, the Magnus effect, and parachute systems. You will develop a comprehensive
understanding of the forces at play in the design and performance of rocket-powered
vehicles, the unique role of rotating bodies in altering airflow, and the principles
behind effective parachute deployment and design.
3. Aviation – Maddie Morgan
Get ready to step into the world of aviation and become an engineer of flight! Over
the next few days, we’ll explore how things take to the skies through minds-on, hands-on
challenges, creative designs, and exciting experiments. From building and testing
your own flying creations to solving problems along the way, you’ll discover how science
and innovation make flight possible. Prepare to think like an engineer, experiment
like a scientist, and watch your ideas take off!
4. Clowning – Nick Wilkins "Broadway the Clown"
Study the art of clowning with an emphasis on clown history, clown skills, and the
different types of clowns. Learn about clown makeup application, costuming, improvisations,
gags, slapstick comedy, stilt walking, unicycle riding, balancing, prop building,
juggling, magic, and balloon sculpture – all from a Ringling Brothers-trained clown.
5. Culinary Chemistry – Amanda Crabtree
Did you know you can explore big scientific ideas using everyday materials you might
find in a kitchen? In this minds-on, hands-on class, you will explore physical and
chemical changes; test acids and bases; and investigate reactions like fizzing, gas
production, and heat transfer. You’ll mix solutions, work with ratios, and analyze
unknown mixtures. Get ready to think like a scientist and uncover the chemistry hidden
in everyday life!
7. Disease Detectives: An Introduction to Epidemiology – Ecil Miller
Become a disease detective! In this minds-on, hands-on class, students will explore
how illnesses spread, investigate real-world outbreaks, and learn how scientists track
and stop diseases. Through simulations, lab experiments, and team challenges, you'll
learn to think like an epidemiologist and help solve public health mysteries.
8. Double Threat: Writing and Performing Original Monologues – Julie Roberts Boggess
If you are a writer and a performer, this is a class for you! Throughout the two weeks,
you will create two original monologues: one comedic and one dramatic. You will work
on improving your performance skills and feeling more comfortable in front of the
camera. This class is perfect for any skill level and is sure to help you grow as
a writer/actor.
9. Dragonflies, Bubbles, Pine Cones, & Ferns: A Hands-on Exploration of Mathematics
& Patterns in Nature with Art – Tonda Mullins
This class is perfect for the curious, the mathematicians and the artists too, those
who are fascinated by the connection between math and the world around us. Discover
the connections between dragonfly wings and the intersecting patterns of bubbles.
Find the Fibonacci sequence in sunflowers, pine cones, and the Milky Way galaxy. Unravel
the twists and turns of rivers, and the branches of trees. Find imaginary numbers
in fractals and ferns. Bring patterns to life with sidewalk chalk, a compass and straightedge,
watercolor designs, and colored pencils. Create dimensional designs with paper folding,
and form your imaginative tessellations. Let's explore the mathematical patterns in
the natural world with engaging minds-on, hands-on activities and art, too.
10. Drumming and Rhythm Design Lab – Heather DiPasquale
This high energy class introduces the world of contemporary percussion and street
beats using everyday materials such as industrial buckets and drumsticks. No experience
needed, just energy, curiosity, and a willingness to make some noise. During the class,
you’ll build the skills, tricks, and confidence to create your own original Bucket
Cadence, a high energy, foot stomping piece that you and your team design from scratch.
You’ll experiment with patterns, layer sounds, and discover how even the simplest
objects can explode with musical power when you’re the one calling the shots.
11. Evolution of Popular American Music: from Ragtime to Rap – Nick Barron
Ever wonder how the catchy melody in your favorite song traces its roots back to a
piano in the 1800s? This course takes students on a field trip back in time through
over a century of American sounds. We won't just listen to music; we’ll explore how
technology, world events, and cultural "rebels" transformed the way we hear the world
and music is created now. From the syncopated rhythms of Ragtime to the poetic power
of Modern Rap, students will discover how each genre acted as a building block for
the next. Students will learn about various world events and musical artists that
helped shape each genre to be what it is.
12. Extreme Weather: Patterns and Natural Hazards! – Haley Carlock
Get ready to explore the power of weather in this minds-on, hands-on course. You’ll
investigate how weather works, uncover patterns behind extreme events, and analyze
real-world disasters. You’ll think like a scientist as you make predictions, solve
problems, and take on the role of meteorologist and engineer. By the end, you’ll design
and defend your own solution to protect people from natural hazards.
13. The Facts Behind Fear – Bella Singer
Come explore the science and psychology behind why humans experience fear and why
different things scare different people! Campers will investigate types of fear through
literature, movies, urban legends, and cultural stories from around the world. Using
psychology, biology, and storytelling, students will analyze how fear affects the
brain, shapes behavior, and reflects real-world social anxieties. Through discussions,
creative activities, and suspense experiments, campers will discover that fear is
more than just being scared; it’s a powerful part of human nature.
14. Geometry: Shapes That Come to Life – Alesha Allen
This class explores the big idea of change by helping you discover how shapes transform
and connect in both 2D and 3D forms. You will investigate how shapes fold and explore
how changing the shapes impacts its overall structure. Through building, drawing,
and analyzing, learners will see how shapes can change forms while still maintaining
important mathematical relationships. Minds-on, hands-on activities and problem-solving
challenges encourage you to think critically, make connections, and recognize that
geometry is dynamic, flexible, and all around us.
15. Interactive Storytelling and Decision-Making through Roleplaying Games – Tyler Johnson
Step into a world of adventure, creativity, and decision-making in this interactive
storytelling course built around Dungeons & Dragons. Students will create original
characters, build fantasy worlds, and work together to solve problems through collaborative
roleplaying and storytelling. Along the way, we’ll explore how stories are structured,
how characters develop, and how choices shape both narratives and societies. No previous
experience with D&D is required, just a willingness to imagine, create, and collaborate.
Whether you enjoy fantasy, writing, strategy, or games, this class offers a chance
to tell unforgettable stories.
16. Intro to Philosophy – Marti Frank
Let’s take a tour of the great western philosophers from Socrates to Descartes. You
will learn, discuss, and challenge your thoughts about the world and your own beliefs
and experiences. Great philosophers ask questions; make sure you come ready to inquire
and discover!
17. Investigations in a Nutshell – Jarren Decker
Every crime scene speaks a language; we just have to be trained to hear it. We will
dive into the intricate world of forensic patterns to find meaning where others see
only disorder. By analyzing "nutshell" dioramas, you will learn to decode evidence
and reconstruct the "who," "what," and "how" of a crime. Prepare to turn chaos into
a solved mystery.
"What we call chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized." – Chuck Palahnuik
18. Making Discoveries Through Artmaking – Cheyana Armantrout
This class is an immersive, inquiry-based opportunity designed to transform your creative
process into a laboratory for exploration. Rather than focusing solely on finished
products or traditional techniques, it prioritizes the act of artmaking as a primary
method of research and discovery! Students will dive into the unknown using a variety
of media to investigate, question, and create art through discovery!
19. Pattern & Collage – Christopher McCarthy
Come learn about and make collages as you examine patterns. You will learn through
a series of projects about patterns, ranging from manmade to natural, to creating
artwork that involves patterns and the use of collage. The final project will be applying
this knowledge of different types of patterns and approaches to the collage media.
20. Reaching New Heights: Scale Modeling with Architecture and Math – Kylie Cooper
Have you ever visited a building (or seen one online) that seemed more like a piece
of art than an actual building? Or maybe you've wondered, "when will I actually use
math in my real life?" Maybe you just really like building things? If any of these
ideas sound familiar, this is the course for you! A study of architecture (styles,
components, famous landmarks, architects) and math (scale and proportional relationships)
will culminate in a minds-on, hands-on project in which you will build a scale model
of a famous building of your choice!
21. Real-World Math & Problem Solving – Madi Sessions
How can math help us understand and solve real-world problems? In this course, you’ll
explore patterns, analyze data, and apply mathematical thinking to complex, real-life
challenges. Through collaborative problem-solving, games, and open-ended tasks, you’ll
develop multiple strategies and justify your reasoning. If you enjoy thinking deeply,
solving challenges, and exploring new ideas, this class is for you!
22. Russian Language – Ekaterina Myakshina
Do you love adventure and discovering new things? Get ready for a fun virtual trip
across Russia! You’ll learn basic Russian words and phrases while exploring the world’s
largest country. Hop on a virtual train from Moscow to the Pacific Ocean. Along the
way, visit fascinating cities, try delicious foods, and meet interesting people and
traditions. You may hear about Russia in the news, but there’s so much more to discover!
Its language, stories, and culture have a long and exciting history, and they’re still
alive today. Russian is also an important language used around the world. Join us
for an unforgettable journey full of language, culture, and fairy tales!
23. Spy Academy: Systems, Secrets, and Problem Solving – Amanda Scanlon
Do you enjoy solving mysteries, cracking codes, and thinking like a detective? Students
will explore how systems, patterns, and evidence help people solve complex problems.
Through minds-on, hands-on challenges, students will decode secret messages, analyze
clues, investigate mock crime scenes, design escape-room puzzles, and create their
own mystery scenarios. Along the way, they will strengthen critical thinking, collaboration,
and creative problem-solving skills while discovering how math, science, language
arts, and logic all work together. Get ready to think strategically, solve puzzles,
and train like a true agent of Spy Academy!
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