National Youth Science Camp 2018
Level: Graduating High School Seniors
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2018
Where: Camp Pocahontas, near Bartow, W.V.
Dates: June 27 – July 21, 2018
Cost: Free, including travel to and from the camp and visit to Washington, D.C. 
Click HERE to apply.
The National Youth Science Camp (NYSC), one of the country’s premier science education programs, offers graduating high school seniors from around the country and world a month of outdoor adventure and hands-on projects in the beautiful woods near Bartow, W.V., all travel costs and camp fees paid.
A typical day might include a morning lecture from a guest scientist, small-group, hands-on science seminars, and lots of hiking, caving, art projects, and fun discussions on topics from why engineered systems fail to origami. There also are trips to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory and to Washington, D.C., just five hours by car, where recent keynote speakers have included astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and National Institute of Health director Francis Collins.
This article on the 2016 camp describes the camp activities… like the visit to Einstein’s statue at the National Academies of Science in Washington:
Each state and country conducts its own competition to select two delegates to represent them at the camp. NYSC alumni include astronauts, members of Congress, Nobel Prize winners, and business leaders.
See a short video of Mateo Duque, from Colombia, describe his time at the 2011 NYSC.
Applications must be completed online (except for students in Florida, Georgia, and Massachusetts) and are due February 28, 2018. Click HERE to apply. (Students will need to set up an account) and for answers to frequently asked questions. 
- Graduate from high school between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018;
- Demonstrate superior academic proficiency, including recognition in mathematics and/or the sciences;
- Demonstrate an application of leadership abilities and social maturity through involvement in both school and community activities;
- Demonstrate skills and achievements outside the realm of science and outside the realm of academic pursuits; and
- Demonstrate a curiosity and an eagerness to explore many and varied topics.
- Commit to attending all four weeks of the camp.
The camp is made possible through planning and fundraising from the National Youth Science Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to honor, sustain, and encourage youth interest and excellence in science by conducting comprehensive informal science education programs. These programs are designed to provide opportunity for students to have constructive interaction with others and emphasize the social value of scientific careers.
Filed under: K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features
Tags: free summer camp, Grades 9-12, National Youth Science Camp 2018, STEM education, Summer Camps & Programs (Students), Summer Programs (Students)
