Summer Weather Camp Program Continues to Expand

Do you know of a child who "lives and breathes weather?" Most every community has at least one. Whether 9 years old or a high school student, this future meteorologist is almost completely focused on the atmosphere. He/she may be an avid skywatcher or simply a Weather Channel "junky." But this child, unlike most others, really does know what he/she wants for a career!

What has proven amazing is that when such kids come in contact with similarly focused kids at our growing array of summer weather camps, we start to hear comments like, "I never knew there were others like me out there." It is clear that this helps the young adult reaffirm his/her choice of a career path.

But, this is not the reason that we started the weather camp effort. Rather, it was begun to bring under-represented groups into a highly scientific and mathematically-driven career field. To be successful, however, the program needed to be open to all groups.

As a result, the program, while centered on historical black and minority serving institutions, now encompasses other colleges and universities, science centers and other educationally-driven sites. Some of these had already started weather camp programs independent of our efforts; others have simply seen the value of our thrust and its intended outcomes and wanted to be included. The result is clear. Weather is an effective magnet for learning and many kids want this type of learning experience.

Meteorology and related atmospheric sciences are also important disciplines for helping businesses and for maintaining the overall planetary health and well-being. This includes forecasting for extreme weather, transportation, energy and energy policy, space and solar research (after all, the sun drives our weather and climate), agriculture, sports and, at times, even the national economy.

Our camp goal is to expose the students to the array of connections that exist among weather and other disciplines, as well as the science behind these. We also want students to see the overall weather enterprise. Far too many young scientists think meteorology is only the National Weather Service, TV weather reporting and storm chasing. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Not surprisingly, NOAA and other governmental agencies, NSF, numerous private sector companies and individuals have willingly supported our CAREERS (Channeling Atmospheric Research into Educational Experiences Reaching Students) focus. At some colleges, the Upward Bound or 4-H Program partners with our camp.

CAREERS camps are designed to capitalize on strong student interest in atmospheric and related sciences and help attendees gain science knowledge within a team-building setting. While at camp, students are continually engaged in hands-on activities, field experiments, seminars, tours of research facilities, workshops and other activities that expand their knowledge of atmospheric sciences, weather and forecast models and environmental instrumentation. They collect and analyze weather data, learn about weather web sites and watch the weather unfold around them. During the past two years, campers at the Howard University camp took cloud and sky photography as the weather provided photo opportunities. Click here to see some images of campers "in action," having fun rather then "working.

While meteorology and business applications are key components of our program, we have learned that communication, organization and teamwork are equally important. As a result, we started to have students "circulate" during their camp experience, not just work with a single partner for one or two weeks. Since the workplace is quite diverse, we now ensure that interactions at camp are, as well.

Writing, speaking and "PowerPointing" are all integral to our camps. Students at the Howard University camp, for example, were asked the first day of camp to talk on an impromptu basis about a topic drawn at random from a bowl. Students selected to attend one the national AMS or NWA conferences were tasked with explaining the weather camp program at a poster display. Other campers, who choose to apply, became Foot's forecasters and write regional and local area online forecasts. Other campers have, on their own, volunteered to participate at weatherfests, local AMS chapters and other outreach activities. Other campers have become involved in local research projects (weather and environmental) and some have served internships (local or long-distance).

Other campers have asked for advice and counsel concerning college choices, high school math courses, SAT preparation and even finding internships. And the faculty and staff at our campsites have continually interacted with student participants, often well-beyond the formal end of camp.

Many of our camp graduates are now attending college and some have returned to camps to share their experiences with new campers. Several have spoken at summer weather camps and at least one graduate camper is now on our camp evaluation team.

It's hard to tell about everything that goes on at our camps because each campsite keys on what is locally relevant. For example, in Jackson, MS campers have even gone out to survey recent tornado damage. And based on the severe storms that struck during the weekend of April 15-16, 2011, they'll likely do so again this year. Campers in Puerto Rico take a day trip out into the open waters of the Caribbean. And campers in Nebraska will capitalize on the expertise of the Drought Information Center to study water resources or the lack thereof.

Camps also have special age foci. Some camps are geared to middle schools; others include only high schoolers. Middle school camps are all commuter-based. High school camps may be either commuter or residence (on a college campus, eating "dorm food"). Most camps run for one week, but a few span a 2-week period.

Most camps described here (except for the day camps run by the Weather Museum in Houston, TX are free (or only charge a nominal fee) for students. However, transportation to or from each camp remains the responsibility of each participant family.

Below is a listing of camps and the tentative dates for the camps in summer 2011. For further information, visit the camp application web site http://ncas.howard.edu/outreach/WeatherCamp/index.html , individual university camp web page and/or contact me. My link can be found on the overall camp application form.

El Paso, TX...

Greensboro, NC...

Houston, TX...

Jackson, MS...

Lincoln,NE...

Mayaguez, PR...

Miami, FL...

New York City, NY...

Norman, OK...

Phoenix, AZ...

Washington, DC...

The camp application deadline is a fluid May 13, 2011...but we would accept late applications should available slots remain available.

If a camp isn't near you, don't fret. Some families have sent their child to a camp located near family or friends; other families have driven to a camp city and vacationed while their child goes to camp. And, next summer, we hope to have even more camps in operation. Maybe one will be closer to where you live.

We hope to see your child (a.k.a. future meteorologist) this summer or next at one of our many weather camps!