Programs · Summer
Two weeks in July, one big build.
Full days, 9 to 4, no screens, one project that a team of six kids has to finish by Friday. Free, like everything else.
- When
- Two weeks, July
- Hours
- 9:00–4:00
- Kids
- 120
- Cost
- $0
Summer camp is the only time we run full days, and it is the closest thing we have to a pure build. Two weeks, one theme, teams of six, and a public unveiling on the last Friday that has, in past years, included a working go-kart, a 14-foot cardboard shark, and a solar oven that actually cooked a quesadilla.
How it works
Campers choose a team on day one based on the theme — build, grow, fix, or perform. Each team gets two staff, a budget of $300, and a corner of a site. They have eight working days. On the last Friday, families and neighbors come, teams present, and then we take the whole thing apart, because teardown is part of the build.
| Theme | What teams make | Constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Build | A human-powered vehicle, a structure, or a machine | Must carry a person or hold a staff member |
| Grow | A garden system, a hydroponic rig, or a seed library | Must survive two weeks outdoors in July |
| Fix | Repair a fleet of donated bikes and give them away | Every bike must leave roadworthy, with a repair log |
| Perform | A 20-minute show with sets, costumes, sound, and a script | Written, built, and performed by kids |
The practical stuff
- Camp runs Monday–Friday, 9:00–4:00, for two weeks in mid-July.
- Lunch and two snacks are provided. We are nut-free and can handle most allergies with notice.
- Transportation: morning and afternoon van loops from four schools. TriMet passes if needed.
- Cost: $0. There is no deposit, no t-shirt fee, and no field trip fee. We do not sell anything.
- 120 spots, split across Hawthorne and Cully. Waitlist moves; about 30 kids get in off it each year.
- Rising 4th through rising 9th graders. 9th graders can apply as counselors-in-training instead.
By Thursday of the second week, every team is behind. Every single year. The learning happens between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, when they figure out what to cut.
Summer camp
Two weeks, one build, free. Registration opens March 1 and fills in about nine days.