Summer 2027 in brief
Last summer 1,284 campers filled a record number of seats, and four camps had waitlists within a week (the 2026 story). For 2027, Youth Programs & Community Outreach is adding sessions of the camps that fill fastest and two new camps, Cyber Defenders and Kitchen Chemistry. Camps are taught by Porter faculty, staffed by about 95 current students, and held in the same labs, shops, studios and simulation hospital Porter students use during the year.
- Dates: Monday, June 14 to Friday, August 6, 2027. There are no camps on Monday, July 5.
- Registration opens: Monday, March 1, 2027, at 8 a.m., online or by phone.
- Grades are the grade a camper enters in fall 2027.
- Sports camps run by Ironclad coaches are listed separately on youth sports camps.
The 2027 catalog
| Camp | Grades | Dates | Type | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Makers (mornings only) | 3–5 | June 14–18; July 12–16 | Half-day | $145 |
| Game Design Studio | 8–12 | June 14–18; Aug. 2–6 | Day | $295 |
| Weld Like a Pro (four days) | 10–12 | June 15–18; July 13–16; July 27–30 | Day | $325 |
| Robotics I | 7–9 | June 21–25; July 12–16 | Day | $295 |
| Future Teachers Academy (three days) | 10–12 | June 22–24 | Day or overnight | $150 / $330 |
| Scrubs Camp (three days) | 9–12 | June 23–25; July 21–23 | Day or overnight | $225 / $425 |
| Apparel & Fashion Design Studio | 9–12 | June 21–25 | Day | $295 |
| Build It Bigger: Bridges & Structures | 6–8 | June 28–July 2 | Day | $245 |
| Farm Science at the University Farm | 4–6 | June 28–July 2 | Day | $165 |
| Drop It! Packaging Design Challenge (four days) | 7–9 | July 6–9 | Day | $215 |
| Summer Theatre Intensive (two weeks) | 8–12 | July 12–23, show July 23 in Thorsen Theatre | Day | $395 |
| Robotics II | 9–12 | July 19–23 | Day or overnight | $345 / $695 |
| Cyber Defenders (new) | 9–12 | July 26–30 | Day or overnight | $295 / $645 |
| Code Camp: Python & Microcontrollers | 8–10 | July 26–30 | Day | $275 |
| Kitchen Chemistry (new) | 6–8 | Aug. 2–6 | Day | $215 |
Day camps run 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include lunch at The Forge. Little Makers runs 9 a.m. to noon. Robotics I and II, Scrubs Camp, Game Design Studio and Weld Like a Pro all had waitlists last year, so register early for those.
Overnight camps and extended care
Overnight campers stay in Birchwood Suites, two to a room, with a same-gender floor counselor for every six campers and a professional staff member on call each night. The overnight fee covers lodging, all meals and evening programs: a Riverfront Trail walk, a movie in the Founders Union theater, and the Thursday-night camp talent show, which has an unofficial rule against kazoos. Check-in is Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. and check-out is Friday at 4 p.m., after the closing showcase.
For day campers, extended care runs 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 4 to 5:30 p.m. for $40 a week. A free Porter Loop pickup at the Porter Falls Public Library runs at 8 a.m. and returns at 4:15 p.m. for campers who do not have a ride.
Scholarships and fees
- Full scholarships. Students in the Porter Falls Area and Cedar Bluff school districts who qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch attend any one camp free, including overnight fees. Gifts from Ironclad Giving Day and a local foundation grant fund 240 scholarship seats for 2027, up from 210 last year.
- Half scholarships. Available to any camper from any district whose family meets the same income guideline.
- How to apply. Check the scholarship box when you register and sign a short attestation. No tax forms are required. Apply by April 15 for first consideration. After that, scholarships are awarded while funds last.
- Discounts. $25 off for each additional sibling, and 10% off for children of Porter employees.
- Refunds. Full refund, minus a $25 fee, until May 15; 50% until two weeks before camp; none after that unless we can fill the seat from the waitlist.
Safety and staffing
Every counselor and instructor completes a background check and youth-protection training under the minors on campus policy and the youth program clearance process. Day camps keep one counselor for every eight campers, and shop and lab sessions keep one for every six. A registered nurse from Health Services is on call during camp hours. Families complete a health and medication form by June 1. Labs and the welding shop require closed-toe shoes and long pants. Weld Like a Pro campers get a shop-safety card on the first morning, before anyone strikes an arc.
Questions go to Tessa Quam, director of youth programs, and her staff. Year-round options for younger children include STEM Saturdays and precollege programs.
Fictional information
UW–Porter Falls is a work of parody. These camps, dates, fees, scholarships, counselors and the talent show’s kazoo rule are invented; there is no camp to register for and no seat waiting in Birchwood Suites.