Bend, Oregon — This Summer, Think Wild’s education program is expanding to host a series of summer camps for elementary-aged students in Central Oregon. These new programs, called “Wild Wonders,” will promote outdoor, hands-on learning about Central Oregon wildlife and the diverse habitats they call home.
Think Wild will offer three week-long camps, starting the weeks of June 20, July 18 and August 15. The curriculum encourages students to explore Central Oregon’s natural spaces, learn new science concepts and participate in a variety of fun and engaging outdoor activities.
The lower elementary (1st-3rd) camp will take place the week of June 20, with locations including the Think Wild wildlife hospital, Shevlin Park, Tumalo State Park, and more. The week of July 18 will be geared toward 4th-6th grade students, with the opportunity to discover the diverse habitats in Central Oregon and investigate the fascinating components that compose our local ecosystems. Site locations for this camp include the Central Oregon Badlands area, Sawyer Park, the Think Wild wildlife hospital, and more.
Think Wild will also offer an iteration of the lower elementary Wild Wonders camp in Jefferson County the week of August 15 to provide more accessible opportunities for a broader group of students to participate. All camps accept a maximum of 20 campers per camp, and registration is $275 per camper for the lower elementary camp and $300 per camper for the upper elementary camp. Think Wild will reduce or waive program fees upon demonstrated need.
“Think Wild launched these camps in response to the ongoing popularity of our wildlife education programs and the clear need for more affordable childcare and accessible, outdoor youth education opportunities in Central Oregon, especially during the summer,” shared Think Wild Education and Volunteer Coordinator, Sadie Ranck. “Think Wild is excited to offer these fun and educational opportunities. We have been hard at work in designing these curricula, and we can’t wait to meet your campers this summer and have some fun!”
