MIDWEST SUMMER EXPERIENCES FOR HIGH-ABILITY STUDENTS
Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education at the University of Iowa: Students
take the out-of-level BESTS or EXPLORE tests to qualify for placement in these
programs.
Challenges for Elementary School Students (CHESS): Multi-week day-
camp courses for grades 4-6 such as marine biology, forensics, creative
writing, math challenges; Iowa City or Des Moines locations.
Junior Scholars Academy (JSA): Residential two-week courses at the U
of Iowa for grades 6-8 in a variety of areas such as math, archaeology,
engineering, computer design, and creative writing.
National Scholars Academy and various Institutes for grades 9-11.
www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank
OPPTAG at Iowa State University: Students qualify by submitting standardized
test scores, grades and/or teacher recommendations.
Adventures: Day-camp for grades 2-6, various topics.
Explorations: Week-long residential camps for grades 7-10, various topics such as math, creative writing, science.
CY-TAG: Three-week long residential camps for grades 7-11 for in-depth exploration of various topics; students can earn high school credit.
www.opptag.iastate.edu/summer/cytag
•Creighton University in Omaha:
Ad Astra: For students entering 7th and 8th grades, a series of four
courses exploring different topics. www.creighton.edu/adastra
Arete: For students entering 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades, a series of four
courses exploring diverse subjects. www.creighton.edu/arete
West Des Moines Public Schools: Summer Enrichment Activities is a summer
school type program for talented and gifted students grades 1-8. It features many
different topics; usually 1-2 hours a day over 2 weeks or so. Out-of-district students may
register, but do so early.
www.wdm.k12.ia.us
Des Moines Public Schools: Summer Programs for Gifted and Talented are similar
to the West Des Moines programs. The classes are in high demand and fill up quickly;
the brochure will be posted on the web near the end of March. www.dmps.k12.ia.us
OTHER LOCAL SUMMER PROGRAMS
The following list has organizations that offer summer activities open to children of all abilities.
They serve as excellent options for high-ability children who have specific interests or want to
explore a new area.
•Des Moines Art Center: Classes for all ages throughout the summer in a variety of art-
related areas—drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics etc. www.desmoinesartcenter.org
• Des Moines Playhouse: Day-camp style classes geared around theater-arts topics and
activities. www.dmplayhouse.com
• Living History Farms: Day-camps for children entering 1st-8th grade designed to
explore historical agriculture, outdoor activities and traditional outdoor skills. Older
students may volunteer to work as assistant counselors or interpreters. www.lhf.org
•Blank Park Zoo: Day-camps for younger children featuring zoo and animal related topics
and activities. www.blankparkzoo.com
•Science Center of Iowa: Classes and day-camps featuring science-related activities and
topics. The brochure is posted online; demand is usually high and
classes fill quickly. www.sciowa.org
*Threshold Learning Center in Zearing: No child left inside! Morning camps, afternoon camps, family camps, overnights, trips to Wisconsin/Montana, and more. Activities include: flying remote-control airplanes, canoeing, nature crafts, camping, cooking, hiking, glow-stick archery, chemistry, singing, and games.
641-487-7455 or [email protected]
RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL INTEREST CAMPS
MUSIC: Many universities offer summer music programs for high school students. These can
be used as recruiting opportunities by the music program, but also enables students to get a first-
hand look at teachers and facilities of a school they might be considering for college. This is a
partial list of known Midwest programs:
• University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls: primarily jazz band and jazz combo camps.
• Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa
• Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa
• St.Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota
• University of Kansas, Lawrence
• Northwestern University, Chicago
FINE ARTS: There are many Fine Arts camps all over the country, but few in the Midwest, and
most do not accept students younger than high school. One notable exception is the Blue Lake
Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lakes, Michigan (north of Muskegon near Lake Michigan). This cabin-
style in-the-woods camp offers strands in band, orchestra, jazz band, harp, piano, voice, dance,
writing, painting, drawing, sculpture, theater, and musical theater (for high schoolers). There are
short 5 day sessions for 5th and 6th graders; 12 day sessions for middle schoolers, and 2-4 weeks
for high schoolers. www.bluelake.org
FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota offers summer
residential programs in total language immersion for many different languages (eg: Arabic,
Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, Danish and more). Students aged 8-18
live in language villages and learn language and culture; no previous exposure to the chosen
language is required. www.concordialanguagevillages.org
DANCE: Many dance companies, studios and university dance programs offer intensive
residential summer dance workshops for dancers ages 12 and up. Two local dance studios offer
day-camp style summer dance intensives for younger and older students; call the studios or
check the web for dates and details.
Creative Movement Dance Co., Urbandale 331-1831
The Pointe Academy (formerly Central Iowa Dance), West Des Moines,
www.centraliowadance.org
THEATER: Simpson College, Indianola hosts the Summer Theatre Institute, featuring
intensive theater arts activities, classes and programs, has two strands. One is a day-camp option
for students grades 4-6; the other is a residential program for students 15-18 years old.
www.simpson.edu/marketing/news
CHESS: There really is a residential camp for chess aficionados in Minneapolis. Check out
www.chesscamp.com
SPACE: There are at least two Midwestern opportunities for kids interested in space
exploration.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas offers a variety of
space camps for all ages, some of them residential. www.cosmo.org
The Illinois Aerospace Institute offers a week-long residential camp for high
schoolers on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
www.ae.uiuc.edu/IAI/
WRITING: Carleton College in Northfield, MN offers an intensive residential academic writing
program and a liberal arts exploration program for high schoolers. Students can earn college
credit for completion. http:/ /apps.carleton.edu/summer/
There are many local opportunities for your creatively gifted child to learn a new skill over the
summer.
*Hobby stores offer classes on jewelry making, scrapbooking, pottery painting,
card making, sewing.
*Consider the many project entry categories
for Iowa State Fair competitions, such as textiles, gardening, visual arts, foods, photography.
www.iowastatefair.org
There are numerous opportunities for science exploration outdoors through some of the following
organizations and programs:
Jester Park Nature Center (Granger) www.co.polk.ia.us
Des Moines Botanical Center www.botanicalcenter.com
Saylorville Lake Visitors Center www.saylorvillelake.com
Reiman Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory (Ames) www.reimangardens.iastate.edu
Iowa Arboretum (rural Madrid): www.iowaarboretum.org
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Prairie Learning Center (Prairie City) www.tallgrass.org
Don't forget about local library reading programs!
Visit the library early and often. By following the program offered by the library, you can be
assured your child will read a variety of types of books over the summer. Besides, there are
fun prizes to earn.
Day trips to Iowa historical "tourist" attractions can be excellent teaching tools for kids. Check
the current Iowa Tourism brochure for the most comprehensive list. Examples include:
Iowa State Capitol and Judicial Building
State Historical Society, Des Moines
Salisbury House and Gardens, Des Moines
Terrace Hill, Des Moines
Jordan House, West Des Moines (underground railroad site)
Amana Colonies
Pella Historical Village and Museum
Madison County Historical Museum and Madison County bridges
National Hot Air Balloon Museum, Indianola
African American Historical Museum, Cedar Rapids
Fort Custer Maze, Clear Lake
University of Iowa's Museum of Natural History, Iowa City
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch
Historic General Dodge House, Council Bluffs
Western Historic Trails Museum, Council Bluffs
Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad and Museum, Boone
Danish Immigrant Museum and Windmill, Elk Horn
Charles H. Macnider Museum of American Art, Mason City
Iowa Hall of Pride, Des Moines
The Carter House Museum, Elkader
Prairie Trails Museum, Corydon
American Gothic House, Eldon
Fort Atkinson State Preserve
Harlan-Lincoln House, Mt. Pleasant
German Hausbarn historic farm and church, Manning
Montauk Historic Governor's Home, Clermont
Plum Grove Historic Home, Iowa City
Abbie Gardner Cabin, Arnolds Park
Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop, Haverhill
Cedar Rock Lowell Walter House, Quasqueton
Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education at the University of Iowa: Students
take the out-of-level BESTS or EXPLORE tests to qualify for placement in these
programs.
Challenges for Elementary School Students (CHESS): Multi-week day-
camp courses for grades 4-6 such as marine biology, forensics, creative
writing, math challenges; Iowa City or Des Moines locations.
Junior Scholars Academy (JSA): Residential two-week courses at the U
of Iowa for grades 6-8 in a variety of areas such as math, archaeology,
engineering, computer design, and creative writing.
National Scholars Academy and various Institutes for grades 9-11.
www.education.uiowa.edu/belinblank
OPPTAG at Iowa State University: Students qualify by submitting standardized
test scores, grades and/or teacher recommendations.
Adventures: Day-camp for grades 2-6, various topics.
Explorations: Week-long residential camps for grades 7-10, various topics such as math, creative writing, science.
CY-TAG: Three-week long residential camps for grades 7-11 for in-depth exploration of various topics; students can earn high school credit.
www.opptag.iastate.edu/summer/cytag
•Creighton University in Omaha:
Ad Astra: For students entering 7th and 8th grades, a series of four
courses exploring different topics. www.creighton.edu/adastra
Arete: For students entering 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades, a series of four
courses exploring diverse subjects. www.creighton.edu/arete
West Des Moines Public Schools: Summer Enrichment Activities is a summer
school type program for talented and gifted students grades 1-8. It features many
different topics; usually 1-2 hours a day over 2 weeks or so. Out-of-district students may
register, but do so early.
www.wdm.k12.ia.us
Des Moines Public Schools: Summer Programs for Gifted and Talented are similar
to the West Des Moines programs. The classes are in high demand and fill up quickly;
the brochure will be posted on the web near the end of March. www.dmps.k12.ia.us
OTHER LOCAL SUMMER PROGRAMS
The following list has organizations that offer summer activities open to children of all abilities.
They serve as excellent options for high-ability children who have specific interests or want to
explore a new area.
•Des Moines Art Center: Classes for all ages throughout the summer in a variety of art-
related areas—drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics etc. www.desmoinesartcenter.org
• Des Moines Playhouse: Day-camp style classes geared around theater-arts topics and
activities. www.dmplayhouse.com
• Living History Farms: Day-camps for children entering 1st-8th grade designed to
explore historical agriculture, outdoor activities and traditional outdoor skills. Older
students may volunteer to work as assistant counselors or interpreters. www.lhf.org
•Blank Park Zoo: Day-camps for younger children featuring zoo and animal related topics
and activities. www.blankparkzoo.com
•Science Center of Iowa: Classes and day-camps featuring science-related activities and
topics. The brochure is posted online; demand is usually high and
classes fill quickly. www.sciowa.org
*Threshold Learning Center in Zearing: No child left inside! Morning camps, afternoon camps, family camps, overnights, trips to Wisconsin/Montana, and more. Activities include: flying remote-control airplanes, canoeing, nature crafts, camping, cooking, hiking, glow-stick archery, chemistry, singing, and games.
641-487-7455 or [email protected]
RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL INTEREST CAMPS
MUSIC: Many universities offer summer music programs for high school students. These can
be used as recruiting opportunities by the music program, but also enables students to get a first-
hand look at teachers and facilities of a school they might be considering for college. This is a
partial list of known Midwest programs:
• University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls: primarily jazz band and jazz combo camps.
• Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa
• Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa
• St.Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota
• University of Kansas, Lawrence
• Northwestern University, Chicago
FINE ARTS: There are many Fine Arts camps all over the country, but few in the Midwest, and
most do not accept students younger than high school. One notable exception is the Blue Lake
Fine Arts Camp in Twin Lakes, Michigan (north of Muskegon near Lake Michigan). This cabin-
style in-the-woods camp offers strands in band, orchestra, jazz band, harp, piano, voice, dance,
writing, painting, drawing, sculpture, theater, and musical theater (for high schoolers). There are
short 5 day sessions for 5th and 6th graders; 12 day sessions for middle schoolers, and 2-4 weeks
for high schoolers. www.bluelake.org
FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota offers summer
residential programs in total language immersion for many different languages (eg: Arabic,
Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, French, Danish and more). Students aged 8-18
live in language villages and learn language and culture; no previous exposure to the chosen
language is required. www.concordialanguagevillages.org
DANCE: Many dance companies, studios and university dance programs offer intensive
residential summer dance workshops for dancers ages 12 and up. Two local dance studios offer
day-camp style summer dance intensives for younger and older students; call the studios or
check the web for dates and details.
Creative Movement Dance Co., Urbandale 331-1831
The Pointe Academy (formerly Central Iowa Dance), West Des Moines,
www.centraliowadance.org
THEATER: Simpson College, Indianola hosts the Summer Theatre Institute, featuring
intensive theater arts activities, classes and programs, has two strands. One is a day-camp option
for students grades 4-6; the other is a residential program for students 15-18 years old.
www.simpson.edu/marketing/news
CHESS: There really is a residential camp for chess aficionados in Minneapolis. Check out
www.chesscamp.com
SPACE: There are at least two Midwestern opportunities for kids interested in space
exploration.
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas offers a variety of
space camps for all ages, some of them residential. www.cosmo.org
The Illinois Aerospace Institute offers a week-long residential camp for high
schoolers on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.
www.ae.uiuc.edu/IAI/
WRITING: Carleton College in Northfield, MN offers an intensive residential academic writing
program and a liberal arts exploration program for high schoolers. Students can earn college
credit for completion. http:/ /apps.carleton.edu/summer/
There are many local opportunities for your creatively gifted child to learn a new skill over the
summer.
*Hobby stores offer classes on jewelry making, scrapbooking, pottery painting,
card making, sewing.
*Consider the many project entry categories
for Iowa State Fair competitions, such as textiles, gardening, visual arts, foods, photography.
www.iowastatefair.org
There are numerous opportunities for science exploration outdoors through some of the following
organizations and programs:
Jester Park Nature Center (Granger) www.co.polk.ia.us
Des Moines Botanical Center www.botanicalcenter.com
Saylorville Lake Visitors Center www.saylorvillelake.com
Reiman Gardens and Butterfly Conservatory (Ames) www.reimangardens.iastate.edu
Iowa Arboretum (rural Madrid): www.iowaarboretum.org
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge Prairie Learning Center (Prairie City) www.tallgrass.org
Don't forget about local library reading programs!
Visit the library early and often. By following the program offered by the library, you can be
assured your child will read a variety of types of books over the summer. Besides, there are
fun prizes to earn.
Day trips to Iowa historical "tourist" attractions can be excellent teaching tools for kids. Check
the current Iowa Tourism brochure for the most comprehensive list. Examples include:
Iowa State Capitol and Judicial Building
State Historical Society, Des Moines
Salisbury House and Gardens, Des Moines
Terrace Hill, Des Moines
Jordan House, West Des Moines (underground railroad site)
Amana Colonies
Pella Historical Village and Museum
Madison County Historical Museum and Madison County bridges
National Hot Air Balloon Museum, Indianola
African American Historical Museum, Cedar Rapids
Fort Custer Maze, Clear Lake
University of Iowa's Museum of Natural History, Iowa City
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch
Historic General Dodge House, Council Bluffs
Western Historic Trails Museum, Council Bluffs
Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad and Museum, Boone
Danish Immigrant Museum and Windmill, Elk Horn
Charles H. Macnider Museum of American Art, Mason City
Iowa Hall of Pride, Des Moines
The Carter House Museum, Elkader
Prairie Trails Museum, Corydon
American Gothic House, Eldon
Fort Atkinson State Preserve
Harlan-Lincoln House, Mt. Pleasant
German Hausbarn historic farm and church, Manning
Montauk Historic Governor's Home, Clermont
Plum Grove Historic Home, Iowa City
Abbie Gardner Cabin, Arnolds Park
Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop, Haverhill
Cedar Rock Lowell Walter House, Quasqueton