A Summer at Sci-Fi Camp

This summer, I got to be a Counselor in Training (CIT) at the SCI-FI Camp at my local university, and it was honestly such a fun experience. I spent two weeks with some of the funniest, most energetic kids, and I learned a lot during this experience.

The first week was all about veterinary medicine, and the kids were around 10 to 11. They were so full of energy and jokes, which honestly made every activity so much fun. I also made a bunch of new friends with the other CITs, which made the week even better. One of the coolest things was visiting cows at the university’s dairy farm. We got to see them up close and what their lives look like on a daily basis. We also got to explore a simulation lab with stations like fake ultrasounds, listening to a pulse, and drawing blood. I ran the pulse station on a robotic dummy, and it was really cool. I ran a small machine that controlled the heartbeat of a fake dummy which the kids had to listen and observe. I also got to candle baby chicks and show the kids. Basically, this means I held a bright flashlight under the egg so we could see the chick and the blood vessels inside. We also learned about lambs and lambing, and even did a fake lamb birth simulation so the kids could see all the different types of birthing positions.

There were also a bunch of hands-on activities. The kids made shoe box habitats, looked through microscopes, and learned how eggs are made in chicks. They even did a challenge where they had to protect an egg from falling off a high ledge, which got super competitive. One of my favorite parts was running a presentation about camouflage with my other CIT. We talked about all the different types of camouflage and why animals use them. Then, we did an activity where the kids had to hide a paper chameleon by coloring it in, and then the CIT’s had to try and find them around the room with Mission Impossible music in the background. The kids also visited the Zoo Society, learned about different types of vets, went on a rehab tour, and made tons of crafts. The week ended with a big water fight outside and a Jeopardy game covering everything the kids had learned. It was messy, chaotic, and a lot of fun.

The second week was Forensics Camp, with slightly older kids around 11 or 12. They were just as funny and full of energy as the first group. This week focused on crime-solving and science. We learned about fingerprints, burglaries, and robberies, and I helped set up “crime scenes” for the kids to solve. I also got to help with hands-on experiments, like a blood type experiment and a fake autopsy. Their autopsy reports were done on pickles, which was really funny to watch. There was also a scavenger hunt around campus where they had to find a victim, which the kids loved. Just like the first week, we wrapped up with a Jeopardy game and another giant water fight outside.

Being a CIT at SCI-FI Camp was such an awesome experience. It was amazing to see the kids get so excited about science, work together on challenges, and just have fun in general. I learned a lot, made tons of new friends, and got to make some really cool memories. I can’t wait for next summer.