Pratt Institute’s STEAM Lab Summer Camp welcomes rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders to learn hands-on creative skills in exciting week-long programs!
Each camp week features a series of workshops and field trips focused on a specific STEAM topic, and enrollment is offered on a sliding scale.
Registration is now open – sign up here!
Week 1: Animation – July 6-10
For gamers and creative storytellers, get introduced to the art of animation. We will learn world-building, design their very own animated character, and create concept art!
Week 2: Sports Science – July 13-17
Play sports, while learning the science of sports medicine! Each day will include an outdoor sport and interactive workshop on how to understand and care for an athlete’s body.
Week 3: Woodworking – July 20-24
Discover the craft of woodworking in our state-of-the-art woodshop! We will learn how to safely operate hand tools and build their own wooden fidget toy to take home.
Week 4: Glam Lab – July 27-31
Create your own natural self-care products! We’ll make organic lotions and soaps with natural pigments, learn dermatology, and get glamorous through hands-on creative projects.
Week 5: Nature’s Toolbox – August 3-7
Explore what our outdoor environment has to offer through art and design! We will use hands-on projects like papermaking, creating biomaterial keychains, and tree stewardship to creatively care for the environment.
Week 6: Architecture on Wheels – August 10-14
Design and build a custom bicycle cart! Working with local experimental bike shop Bikeport, participants will ideate, design, test, and build an architectural bike structure.
Learning at STEAM Lab
STEAM Lab Summer Camp is a place for young people to learn new hands-on maker skills, have fun, make friends, and feel empowered to use technology creatively. Our camps are taught by working professionals and hosted at Pratt Institute’s Research Yard, a state-of-the-art facility – giving participants access to the highest quality of instruction in a fun and playful environment. Participants are encouraged to create joyfully, express themselves, and dedicate themselves to learning a new exciting skill to the best of their ability. STEAM Lab welcomes participants from all backgrounds and of differing abilities.
Schedule
All camps run Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. Each week will look different depending on the topic, and the amount of field trips.
- A typical camp day might look like:
- 9am – 9:30am Arrive and begin an open-ended warm-up activity
- 9:30am – 11:30am Learn a new STEAM skill through an exciting hands-on workshop
- 11:30am – 1pm Walk to Fort Greene Park for lunch and recess
- 1pm – 3pm Craft a project that builds on the morning’s workshop skill
On field trip days, we will typically eat lunch indoors and then head to the field trip from noon to 3pm.
Dropoff and pickup will be at the Pratt Institute Research Yard, 63 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205.
Eligibility
Any rising 7th, 8th, or 9th grader is eligible for STEAM Lab Summer Camp. To support our program’s core goal of providing access to STEAM education for underserved communities, registration preference is given to low-income families.
Registration
Registration is first-come, first-served. You may register for as many weeks as you would like, and rank your preferences. Registration is accepted March 9th-30th, or until camp is fully enrolled. Only one registration form should be submitted per child.
Please note that sending in a completed registration form does not guarantee that you have secured a place in a class. Confirmations will be sent on a rolling basis, within 1 week of your registration. You will be sent a confirmation email and be called to process credit card payment. If the week(s) you selected is full, you will be placed on a waiting list and notified by email. If a place becomes available, we will contact those on the waiting list. Payments must be received to be confirmed as registered.
Cost
Pratt STEAM Lab is committed to providing accessibility to STEAM fields for historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students. Camp fees go directly towards materials and staffing, so we can serve the highest quality of education to as many participants as possible.
Camp is priced on a pay-what-you-can sliding scale of $50-$500 per week. After you are confirmed, you will be called to process credit card payment, and can select the amount you are able to pay within the sliding scale. If the minimum fee of $50 presents a financial burden for your family, please email bschneie@pratt.edu with subject line “Summer Camp Fee Waiver” and your child’s name in the email, the same day you submit your registration.
Contact Us
Megan Aebi Opeña, Director of Programs • maebi@pratt.edu
Ben Schneier, Program Coordinator • bschneie@pratt.edu
Pratt STEAM Lab
Pratt STEAM Lab provides free in-school, after-school, and summer programs to over 280 middle school and high school students annually. Leveraging Pratt’s faculty experts, facilities, resources and network of collaborators, it offers rigorous science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) programming, augmented by academic tutoring, SAT prep and college counseling.
The program draws on the students’ innate curiosity, imagination and creativity to introduce them to a wide range of scientific and technological fields. Classes are run on-site at partner schools, at Pratt’s state-of-the-art maker space at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and on Pratt’s main campus.
Pratt STEAM Lab is funded by New York State STEP (Science & Technology Entry Program), which aims to increase the number of historically underrepresented and economically disadvantaged students prepared to enter college, and improve their participation rate in mathematics, science, technology, health-related fields, and the licensed professions.