Oregon Sea Grant hosts a number of summer day camps for youth 8 to 18 years old with themes that range from marine technology to marine mammals. Campers interact with researchers and learn about the marine environment through hands-on programs and field trips.

Summer 2023 Day Camps

Oregon Sea Grant Marine Education will be offering in-person summer day camps at Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC). This summer, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide students ages (8-18) with fun, interactive, field-based learning activities. Day camps will be held July through mid-August on Monday through Thursday, 9 am - 3 pm. The cost is $195 per camper. Registration includes all instructional materials and a camp T-shirt; however, lunches are not included. Please note that camp registration fees are non-refundable.

Camp dates, themes and descriptions are provided below. Please note that there is a one-week gap between camps 2 and 3 due to educators attending a local educator conference in July 2023. Our camps will follow all Oregon State University (OSU) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Guidelines. All specific expectations are provided below and are subject to change as OSU and OHA update their guidance. While we are planning to offer camps in person, these plans are also subject to change pending the progression of COVID-19 cases. If a portion of camp is canceled due to site-specific COVID-19 restrictions, partial refunds will be issued. Any questions or concerns should be directed to the Marine Education Coordinator, [email protected]; 541-867-0233. 

Update as of March 1, 2023: Our day camps are currently full, but you are welcome to add your child to the waitlist by clicking on the camp theme below. Want to be among the first to know about our day camp opportunities next year? Join our email list! 

Camp Dates and Themes

Registration opens @ NOON on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - REGISTER (camp is currently full; add your child to the waitlist!)

Learn about marine animals from the INSIDE as we conduct a variety of dissections, work with researchers to determine cause of death, collect data on feeding habits, and more. Campers will also spend plenty of time OUTside the lab exploring the coastal habitats these organisms call home. Note: this is a dissection-themed camp, please ensure your camper is prepared for a week full of internal anatomy investigations!

 

Registration opens @ NOON on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - REGISTER (camp is currently full; add your child to the waitlist!)

Engage in the process of science by conducting field investigations in estuarine and tide pool habitats. Campers will learn scientific methods from guest researchers and employ those methods as they travel to different coastal habitats to explore the adaptations and ecological interactions of unique coastal flora and fauna. 

Registration opens @ NOON on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - REGISTER (camp is currently full; add your child to the waitlist!)

From anemones to zooplankton, campers will travel to the estuary, tide pools, and coastal forest in search of marine life that call the Oregon coast home. Our mission will be to find an organism  to represent each letter of the alphabet. Campers will be trained how to use ID guides, books, and other resources and be provided to a journal to document their findings with drawings, poems, and more!

Registration opens @ NOON on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - REGISTER (camp is currently full; add your child to the waitlist!)

Campers will explore different aquatic habitats in search of patterns found among the plants and animals that live in these unique spaces. From fish scales to stripes, there are plenty of patterns to spot! Is there a purpose for these patterns? Join us and find out. Campers will learn how to use eye loupes and be provided a journal to sketch and document the patterns they find throughout the week.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Expectations

We are looking forward to providing an exciting and safe learning experience for all camp participants and have outlined expectations and requirements that are in accordance with the current Oregon State University’s COVID-19 response as well as the Oregon Health Authority (OHA’s) Youth Program Reopening Public Health Recommendations and Requirements. Prior to registering your child for our summer day camps, please thoroughly review the COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Expectations outlined below. Parents/Guardians will be asked to verify they have read and agree to the following safety protocols and expectations during the registration process. Failure of camp participants to adhere to the safety protocols and expectations will result in removal from the program.

Per Oregon Health Authority and Oregon State University guidance, all campers, parents, guardians, and Oregon Sea Grant (OSG) Marine Education Staff must comply with the following safety protocols and procedures. Please note that these protocols and expectations are subject to change as OHA and OSU policies are updated. 

  • General Policies and Daily Expectations
    • There will be one group per week of camp, with group size not to exceed 20 participants.
    • The same staff will be assigned to each camp for the entire week.
    •  Face coverings are welcome at OSU, but are no longer required. Per OHA Guidelines, if Lincoln County moves to HIGH risk for COVID-19 due to case load, masks are RECOMMENDED.
    • Physical distancing is recommended, if possible.
    • Educators and campers will be encouraged to wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer (60-95%) often, and will be required to wash their hands prior to eating lunch. 
    • Camp participants are required to bring their own lunch and sharing of food is prohibited. Lunch will be eaten outdoors with campers and educators spaced 6 feet or more apart.
    • Educators will lead walking field trips to locations local to HMSC. Camp participants are expected to wear comfortable walking shoes and bring jackets/layers, water, a hat, and sunscreen.
    • Campers will also travel via van to visit coastal habitats and research spaces local to Newport. Educators and campers will be required to wear a face covering at all times and van windows will be down to maximize ventilation. 
    • All parents/guardians will drop-off and pick-up campers at the designated outside location. Parents/guardians, please ensure that you include all names and contact information for all authorized adults who will be responsible for pick-up/drop off of your child. We will communicate the drop-off/pick-up procedure to all adults responsible for camper check-in/check-out.
  • Policies Related to COVID-19 Exposure or Positive Test During Camp
    • Staff and camp participants should not attend camp (regardless of vaccination status) if they have or recently had an illness with COVID-19 symptoms. A staff person or child with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home for at least 5 days after illness starts and until 24 hours after fever is gone, without use of fever-reducing medicine, and COVID-19 symptoms have resolved.
    • If a camp participant or staff receives a positive COVID-19 test result or is exposed to someone who received a positive COVID-19 test result, guardians of the child and/or the staff member must notify the Oregon Sea Grant Marine Education Program immediately. 
    • If a camp participant or staff member exhibits or develops a new cough (e.g., unrelated to pre-existing condition such as asthma), fever, shortness of breath or other primary symptoms of COVID-19 during the day/class session, they will be separated from others and sent home as soon as possible. Guardians of camp participants will be contacted  and expected to pick up their child as soon as possible. The camper will remain safely isolated and supervised until the guardian is able to pick up the child.
    • In the event that there is a single case or a cluster of cases of COVID-19 at camp, education staff will contact parents/guardians and cancel camp immediately.
    • If a positive COVID-19 test results in the cancellation of camp, partial refunds will be issued pending the number of days of camp missed.

Day Camp Highlights

  • Explore coastal and marine habitats through field trips
  • Learn firsthand about the marine environment and the amazing diversity of life found there
  • Conduct experiments in the field and in wet labs
  • Learn about scientific techniques and current research
  • Interact with researchers and other experts