University of Maryland

Physics Lecture-Demonstration Facility

collected listing of

SUMMER (AND OTHER) PROGRAMS FOR PRE-COLLEGE STUDENTS

at the University of Maryland and nearby areas

We would like to expand this page so that it is truly helpful to parents seeking educational summer activities for children of all ages. If you would like to add your summer program to this list or know of programs that should be included, please forward this information to Dr. Richard E. Berg reberg@physics.umd.edu, or send comments by phone at 301-405-5994 or by mail to Dr. Richard E. Berg, Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742. We will be happy to include all legitimate summer educational activities for children in this list.

Programs sponsored by University and/or Departmental groups

SUMMER PHYSICS PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS at the University of Maryland, College Park: two-week long physics program for girls entering ninth grade (applications due in early April).

University of Maryland Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) supports a number of summer academic outreach activities as well as a wide range of outreach activities throughout the academic year. Also see the MRSEC Outreach page.

PHYSICS IS PHUN: No public programs are available during the summer months. However, on- or off-campus groups can contact Dr. Richard Berg by phone at (301) 405-5994 or by e-mail at reberg@physics.umd.edu to arrange a Physics is Phun session for their group. Click here for PHYSICS IS PHUN free public programs held at the University of Maryland during the regular academic year, including the flyer containing the schedule for the present academic year.

Summer Programs for Children and Adolescents at the University of Maryland, College Park, a web site containing a listing of available summer programs, sponsored by School/University Cooperative Programs at the University of Maryland, College Park.

University of Maryland Big as Life, Summer Sessions, including all academic information as well as information on programs for youth. See especially Young Scholars Program and Programs for Youth.

Women in Engineering at the University of Maryland runs an excellent summer program for high school students, called Exploring Engineering at the University of Maryland, as well as Saturday programs and a cooperative program with a nearby elementary school throughout the academic year. They also co-sponsor the Engineers of the Future program with the Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering. A number of other excellent programs for pre-college girls will also be found at this link, including RISE, a summer program for young women who will be entering the University of Maryland the following fall..

The Center for Minorities in Science and Engineering offers several programs that will soon have their own web pages. The ESTEEM Research Mentoring Program, for high school juniors and (primarily) seniors, includes a major research project. Contact LaWanda Kamalidiin at 301-405-3878 or lsaddler@deans.umd.edu for information. The Engineers of the Future program, aimed at high school seniors who expect to attend college as engineering students, provides guidance to students and offers the University of Maryland course ENES 100: Introduction to Engineering Design for credit to participants. Contact Taifa Hibbert at 301-405-8106 or taifa@wam.umd.edu for further information. The Up Up and Away program aims to teach students entering 6th, 7th and 8th grade about hot air balloons, rockets, and flight. Click here for further information and application form.

INSECT SUMMER CAMP is sponsored by the University of Maryland Entomology Department and directed by Dr. Earlene Armstrong, an excellent professor at the University who provides really interesting activities for kids of all ages.

Stamp Student Union: Summer Arts Camp. Various summer camps for children between 6 and 12 years of age, including topics such as Hands on History, Earth Science Exploration, Puppetry, Drama Workshop, Books Alive, World Music, 3-D Studio, and Global Movers. Various one-week sessions will be held between early July and early August. Check web site for further information and application.

University of Maryland Center for Young Children summer camp program for children 3 to 6 years old.

TerpQuest Summer Camp: Now in its second year, a summer camp for students entering grades 1-6, sponsored by University of Maryland Campus Recreational Services. Camps, designed to the level of the student groups, include both academic and recreational components. Go to the website or call Mary Mires at 301 226-4409.

Programs sponsored by non-University groups

A LARGE number of programs for pre-college students are sponsored at various NASA installations. The following list includes a number of these programs; see each web site for details such as where the programs are to be held and the appropriate age group. Note that there are deadline dates for each program.

The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at the Johns Hopkins University has a number of outstanding summer programs for pre-college students from elementary school through high school, as well as several ongoing programs throughout the academic year.

The National Association for Gifted Children offers a number of programs for students at various levels, at a numer of locations in the DC-VA-MD metropolitan area and beyond. Go to the home page and click "SUMMER/ENRICHMENT & SPECIAL SCHOOLS PROGRAMS, then your geographical area of interest.

El Ingeniero, a program for hispanic middle school students, is offered each summer at the University of Maryland. The program includes presentations on science and engineering and student projects. Contact Mr. Aubrey at aubry@nonprofit-initiatives.com for information. Another program under the same auspices is Imagine Excellence; aimed for 7th and 8th graders, primarily Hispanic. For further information contact Lucy Negron-Evelyn, Program Director, Phone: 410-715-9828 or 301-504-5026.

SUMMER SEARCH 2002: EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL HORIZONS, developed and distributed by the Montgomery County, MD Public School System, lists a LARGE number of summer programs for children in the Washington, D.C. area as well as many in the mid-Atlantic states. This information is not on the web, but may be obtained by writing or calling the Montgomery County Public Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, #200, Rockville, MD 20850, telephone number (301) 279-3444. There are charges for the booklet and for mailing for non-County residents.

U. S. Army Educational Outreach Programs sponsors a large number of science education summer and other programs for pre-college students. This web site also has links to programs sponsored by other organizations related to the U. S. Armed Forces. In the Washington, D. C. area, local programs are available for high school students as well as teaching opportunities in these programs available for University students in science and technology fields.

Connect for Kids, Guidance for Grown-ups page describing their activities. Use the menu at the left side of the page to find your state, including the Connect for Kids Weekly Newsletter. Sponsored by the National Education Association.

The National Capital Trolley Museum offers a number of one-day programs for children on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the summer months. Most programs involve story reading for age groups from 3 to 10, and many include make-and-take projects.

The Capital Children's Museum of Washington, DC offers several very interesting academic and artistic summer camp programs, primarily for pre-school and elementary-school age children through grade 5. Click your mouse on the sun!

The National Building Museum offers a variety of courses dealing with such diverse topics as building bridges, stained glass art, and origami for children of ages 4 to 14.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George's County, Maryland provides a web site with lists of local programs for children and adults sponsored by the Commission. Also included is a list of summer employment in their facilities.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Montgomery County, Maryland, Planning Board provides a nice web site with information on summer and other activites for children.

The Montgomery County Recreation Department web site has lists of programs for children, publications, events, and a list of other web sites that sponsor programs for children.

Try SAILOR KIDS, a web site describing a wide range of activities in Maryland for children and MUCH more.

The Inova Kellar Center sponsored by the Inove Health System of Fairfax, VA, and the Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, offers a variety of summer camp programs for children and adolescents with attention deficit disorders.

The DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation funds a number of summer programs in the District of Columbia. Use their web site to find some of the programs that they support and to learn how you might be able to secure funding for your program.

Washington, DC area Youth Leadership Foundation: YLF’s mission is to hone basic reading, writing, and comprehension skills to enable middle school students to perform at grade-level or better. Our programs increase proficiency in core subjects of English, math, science, and history, which improves the academic achievement of these students enabling them to enter a college-prep course of study in high school. YLF operates two supplemental educational programs for Washington Area minority middle school students, the Tenley Achievement Program (TAP) for boys, and the Program for Academic and Leadership Skills (PALS) for girls.


Outreach Page

Lecture-Demonstration Home Page

For comments or constructive criticism of this document
please e-mail Dr. Richard Berg, reberg@physics.umd.edu,
or send comments by phone or to the mailing address on the home page.